In modern aerospace engineering, increasing demands for higher energy efficiency, elevated operating temperatures, and extended system service life impose significant limitations on conventional materials and protective coatings. In this context, nanotechnology has emerged as a key approach for enhancing the performance and reliability of aerospace systems by enabling precise control of material structure and functional properties at the nanoscale. This paper analyzes the role of nanotechnology in improving aerospace structures and propulsion systems, with a particular focus on nanostructured thermal barrier coatings and nanoscale surface engineering of structural alloys. The study is based on a systematic review and critical analysis of relevant scientific literature, combined with a comparative interpretation of experimental data reported in international journals. The comparison criteria include maximum operating temperature, effective thermal conductivity, fatigue resistance, and long-term service life of components. Special attention is given to the comparison between nanostructured solutions and conventional systems, including standard 6-8 wt.% yttria-stabilized zirconia thermal barrier coatings and traditional surface protection methods. The results indicate that nanotechnology-enabled solutions provide significant improvements in thermal efficiency and reliability of aerospace systems, primarily through reduced effective thermal conductivity and enhanced resistance to degradation processes, without a proportional increase in system mass or complexity. The paper also identifies current limitations of existing solutions and outlines future research directions toward the development of next-generation aerospace systems.
Zimonjić et al. (Wed,) studied this question.