Bio‐Inspired Gradient Coatings Enhance the Leading Edge Erosion Resistance of Wind Blades
- 1Shaping Matter Lab Faculty of Aerospace Engineering Delft University of Technology Delft Netherlands
- 2Faculty of Aerospace Engineering Delft University of Technology Delft Netherlands
Abstract
Rain‐induced erosion of wind blades is a challenge to wind energy growth. As blade lengths and tip speeds increase, droplet‐impact kinetic energy increases, accelerating surface degradation and reducing aerodynamic efficiency. Conventional polyurethane coatings require maintenance and are unable to withstand prolonged exposure to high‐frequency impact stresses. Recent approaches have investigated impedance‐matched multilayer and particle‐reinforced coatings, but these often suffer from abrupt impedance transitions and weak interfacial adhesion. Here, we demonstrate that a bio‐inspired, platelet‐reinforced polyurethane coating with a graded through‐thickness architecture enhances erosion resistance. We reason that minimising the acoustic impedance mismatch between the coating and substrate while maintaining a compliant outer layer reduces interfacial stresses. Compared to monolayer coatings, our system doubles the incubation time under erosion testing, confirming increased durability. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis shows that platelet volume fraction governs the viscoelastic and acoustic impedance behavior, while orientation has negligible influence on viscoelasticity but is critical for wave propagation and damage evolution. We demonstrate that these graded architectures inspired by natural impact‐resistant structures offer superior protection. By providing a deeper understanding of the interplay between acoustic impedance, viscoelasticity, and wave propagation, our study lays the groundwork for designing bio‐inspired graded coatings that actively mitigate impact damage in renewable energy applications.
Related
- Arsenic Resistance Protein BcArs2 Modulates Endogenous ROS Homeostasis in Infection Cushions to Enhance the Virulence of Botrytis cinerea Toward Host Plants
- Plant-oil-based adhesive formulations induce plant stress responses and enhance resistance of Chrysanthemum to western flower thrips.
- Exploiting DprE2 pathway redundancy to enhance potency and overcome resistance to pretomanid in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Dietary Phytoadditives Enhance Growth Performance, Digestive Enzyme Activity, Antioxidant Status, Immune Gene Expression, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus Resistance in Pacific White Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).
- Application of Chitosan-Based Coatings Incorporating Sea Fennel Essential Oil and Rosemary Extract on the Chemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)
BibTeX
@article{guevarasotelo2026bioinspired,
title = {{Bio‐Inspired Gradient Coatings Enhance the Leading Edge Erosion Resistance of Wind Blades}},
author = {Natalia Sofia Guevara‐Sotelo and Julie Teuwen and Kunal Masania},
journal = {Advanced Science},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1002/advs.77056},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.77056},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Bio‐Inspired Gradient Coatings Enhance the Leading Edge Erosion Resistance of Wind Blades
AU - Natalia Sofia Guevara‐Sotelo
AU - Julie Teuwen
AU - Kunal Masania
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/06
JO - Advanced Science
DO - 10.1002/advs.77056
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.77056
AB - Rain‐induced erosion of wind blades is a challenge to wind energy growth. As blade lengths and tip speeds increase, droplet‐impact kinetic energy increases, accelerating surface degradation and reducing aerodynamic efficiency. Conventional polyurethane coatings require maintenance and are unable to withstand prolonged exposure to high‐frequency impact stresses. Recent approaches have investigated impedance‐matched multilayer and particle‐reinforced coatings, but these often suffer from abrupt impedance transitions and weak interfacial adhesion. Here, we demonstrate that a bio‐inspired, platelet‐reinforced polyurethane coating with a graded through‐thickness architecture enhances erosion resistance. We reason that minimising the acoustic impedance mismatch between the coating and substrate while maintaining a compliant outer layer reduces interfacial stresses. Compared to monolayer coatings, our system doubles the incubation time under erosion testing, confirming increased durability. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis shows that platelet volume fraction governs the viscoelastic and acoustic impedance behavior, while orientation has negligible influence on viscoelasticity but is critical for wave propagation and damage evolution. We demonstrate that these graded architectures inspired by natural impact‐resistant structures offer superior protection. By providing a deeper understanding of the interplay between acoustic impedance, viscoelasticity, and wave propagation, our study lays the groundwork for designing bio‐inspired graded coatings that actively mitigate impact damage in renewable energy applications.
SN - 2198-3844
ER -