Investigations on remote temperature sensing of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) at the surface and at the bond-coat/top-coat interface were carried out. Using Y2O3:Eu thermographic phosphor as an embedded temperature sensing layer, sub-surface temperature probing through 300 mu m of atmospheric plasma sprayed YSZ is demonstrated. The Y2O3:Eu thermographic phosphor displays a temperature sensitivity ranging between 400 degrees C up to a maximum of 900 degrees C when utilizing the luminescence originating from the 611 nm emission band. Dysprosium stabilized zirconia (10 wt.% DySZ), a TBC material, is also investigated and established as a temperature sensor from 400 degrees C up to a temperature of 1000 degrees C using both the intensity decay time and emission intensity ratio methods. In addition, the luminescence of presumed optically inactive YSZ materials was spectroscopically investigated in terms of optical interferences caused by impurities. A validation temperature probing measurement through 300 mu m of YSZ top-coat was successfully performed in a SGT-800 Siemens burner running at six different operating conditions in an atmospheric combustion rig. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Alloy 718 manufactured via electron beam-powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) was coated with a thermally- sprayed NiCoCrAlY coating for enhanced oxidation protection. A high-velocity air fuel technique was used to deposit the coating. The specimens were then subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Oxidation of the specimens was undertaken in an ambient air environment at 650 and 800 °C for 168 h. The oxidation performance of EB-PBF-built Alloy 718 was improved after the deposition of the coating, particularly at 800 °C. In this temperature, a thick Cr-rich oxide scale was found on the uncoated Alloy 718 specimen, whereas a thin and stable Al-rich oxide scale was formed on the surface of the coated specimen. HIPing enhanced the oxidation resistance of uncoated Alloy 718; however, the oxidation behavior of coated Alloy 718 was negatively affected by HIPing. © 2020 The Authors
Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are applied on the surface of hot parts of gas turbine engines to increase the turbine efficiency by providing thermal insulation and to protect the engine parts from the harsh environment. Typical degradation of TBCs can be attributed to bond coat oxidation, thermal stress etc. In addition to this, erosion can also lead to partial or complete removal of the TBCs especially when the engine operates under erosive environment such as flying over desert area, near active volcanic or offshore ocean environment. Suspension Plasma Spraying (SPS) is a promising technique for TBC applications by virtue of its ability to produce a strain-tolerant porous-columnar microstructure that combines the benefits of both electron beam physical vapor deposited (EB-PVD) as well as atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) coatings. This work investigates the influence of various coating microstructures produced by SPS on their erosion behavior. Six different coatings with varied microstructures produced using different suspensions with distinct characteristics were studied and their erosion resistance was compared. Results showed significant influence of SPS TBCs microstructures on the erosion resistance. Furthermore, the erosion resistance of SPS TBCs showed a close correlation between fracture toughness and the erosion rate, higher fracture toughness favours superior erosion resistance. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
Driven by sustainability and cost considerations, there is growing interest in power generation utilizing renewable sources, especially biomass and waste. While premature degradation of power plant components due to corrosion is well-known, erosion can be a dominant damage mechanism in plants that use “pure” biomass with less corrosive elements like Cl, K, etc. Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) parts are prone to erosion-driven damage and demand periodic re-protection or replacement. In response to the above, this preliminary study evaluates a selection of complex carbide-based coatings to enhance protection against erosion to prolong service life of boiler components. Recognizing on-site coating requirements of real boiler applications, a specific focus is on evaluating performance of a hand-held high-velocity air-fuel (HVAF) spray gun and compare it with the current state-of-the-art high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) deposition. Coatings developed by the above routes have been characterized with microstructural analyses, and their performance evaluated and ranked in an air-jet erosion rig at various impact angles.
The elastic modulus and fracture toughness of an air plasma sprayed thermal barrier coating (APS TBC) were measured using the micro-cantilever bending technique. The micro-cantilevers were machined by a focused ion beam with their central arms either parallel or normal to the bond coat/topcoat interface. Such orientations allowed direct measurements of both the in-plane and out-of-plane elastic moduli as well as mode I fracture toughness by bending. The calculated elastic modulus along the in-plane and out-of-plane direction is 144 GPa and 110 GPa, respectively, suggesting that the APS TBC is elastically anisotropic at microscale. The derived mode I fracture toughness along the plane parallel to the interface is 0.40 MPam. This relatively low toughness reflects the weak fracture resistance of the highly-flawed APS for short cracks at microscale. The measurements in this study can be incorporated into micromechanical life time prediction models of the APS TBCs. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
Dysprosia stabilised zirconia coatings offer a potential reduction in thermal heat transfer for thermal barrier coating systems with the added benefit of being producible with existing equipment and spray knowledge. However, there is little information on the long term performance of such systems relative to the standard coatings. While a low thermal conductivity is important for a gas turbine; sintering resistance is important to maintain properties over the lifetime of a component.
In this study, four dysprosia stabilised zirconia coatings are compared with a standard yttria stabilised coating in present industrial use.
Samples were exposed to isothermal furnace conditions at 1150 °C from 5 to 200 hours to observe the sintering resistance of the coating systems. Tests carried out include microstructural analysis with SEM, thermal conductivity measurements using laser flash analysis and porosity changes monitored using image analysis.
Suspension plasma spray (SPS) thermal barrier coatings are currently at an early stage of industrial adoption. There remain questions about the performance of SPS columnar coatings under different engine environmental conditions as it may influence which established engine coatings can be replaced by SPS coatings. One particular area of concern has been the erosion resistance of SPS coatings.In this study a columnar SPS coating has been evaluated against three types of state of art air plasma spray coatings: conventional porous coating, high porosity coating and dense vertically cracked coating. Air-jet erosion testing was performed on coatings at a glancing angle of 30 degrees and with direct impact at 90 degrees. Coatings have been ranked according to their mass loss per unit erodent mass. Coatings were also evaluated for their microstructure, porosity content, hardness, and fracture toughness. The erosion damage created during testing has also been investigated using electron microscopy to observe the damage mechanism. The results of this study demonstrate that SPS coatings can outperform porous APS coatings in erosion resistance and could be considered a match for dense vertically cracked coatings. The SPS columnar coatings have shown a decreasing erosion rate with exposure time that suggest the influence of surface roughness on initial erosion behaviour.
Thermally sprayed coatings are often used to enhance the surface properties (wear resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.) of engineering components in order to extend their performance and service lifetime. Typically, the industrial components to be coated possess complex geometries and are fabricated using different materials, which can influence the deposited coating’s microstructure and performance. High-velocity air fuel (HVAF) process is a relatively new thermal spray processing technique that has shown tremendous potential to deposit high performance coatings for durable industrial components. However, no detailed studies have been reported on HVAF sprayed coating formation mechanisms so far in relation to the spray angle and substrate properties, and the influence of coating material on the above. The objective of this work was to study the influence of spray angles and substrate materials on splat characteristics, coating microstructure evolution, properties and performance for two distinct coating materials. In this study, one cermet (WC-CoCr) and one metallic (Inconel 625) feedstock were deposited onto three different substrates (aluminium alloy, carbon steel and Hastelloy-X) utilising different spray angles (40°, 60° and 90°). The coating evolution was analysed utilising SEM/EDS, image analysis, and micro-indentation. To determine the tribological performance, coatings were subjected to dry sliding wear test utilising alumina ball as counter surface and specific wear rates were obtained. The results showed that initial splat characteristics were substantially altered on changing the substrate and the spray angle. However, the final coating properties were not affected significantly even though the deposition rate was reduced significantly at lower spray angle, suggesting the versatility of the HVAF process.
High Velocity Oxy-Fuel has been utilized to spray coatings from Ti2AlC (MAXTHAL 211®) powders. X-ray diffraction showed that the coatings consist predominantly of Ti2AlC with inclusions of the phases Ti3AlC2, TiC, and Al–Ti alloys. The fraction of Ti2AlC in coatings sprayed with a powder size of 38 μm was found to increase with decreasing power of the spraying flame as controlled by the total gas flow of H2 and O2. A more coarse powder (56 μm) is less sensitive to the total gas flow and retains higher volume fraction of MAX-phase in the coatings, however, at the expense of increasing porosity. X-ray pole figure measurements showed a preferred crystal orientation in the coatings with the Ti2AlC (000l) planes aligned to the substrate surface. Bending tests show a good adhesion to stainless steel substrates and indentation yields a hardness of 3–5 GPa for the coatings sprayed with a powder size of 38 μm.
The advent of high-throughput plasma spray systems that allow axial feeding encourages the study of using liquid feedstock for various next-generation functional applications. The current study explores the benefit of such a plasma spray system to deposit hybrid powder-suspension Al2O3-YSZ ceramic matrix composite (CMC) coatings for tribological applications. The tribological performance of the hybrid processed CMC coatings was assessed using scratch, ball-on-plate wear and erosion tests and compared with that of monolithic powder-derived Al2O3 coatings. As-deposited and tribo-tested coatings were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy to analyse their microstructure and phase constitution. The results showed that the tribological performance of the hybrid powder-suspension Al2O3-YSZ CMC coating was significantly improved by enhancing the wear resistance under scratch, dry sliding ball-on-plate and erosion tests as compared to the conventional APS deposited monolithic Al2O3 coating. About 36% decrease in the dry sliding ball-on-plate specific wear rate and up to 50% decrease in the erosion wear rate was noted in the hybrid powder-suspension Al2O3-YSZ CMC coating as compared to the conventional APS deposited monolithic Al2O3 coating. The study concludes that the hybrid powder-suspension route can create CMC coatings with unique multi-length scale microstructures which can be attractive for combining different tribological attributes in the same coating system.
Suspension plasma spray is a relatively new thermal spray technique which enables feeding of fine powder to produce advanced coatings for varied applications. This work investigates the difference in structure and performance of Al2O3 coatings manufactured using conventional micron-sized powder feedstock and a suspension of sub-micron to few micron sized powder. Axial injection was implemented for deposition in both cases. The effect of feedstock size and processing on the tribological performance of the two coatings was of specific interest. The coatings were characterized by Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy, micro-hardness and scratch resistance testing, and their dry sliding wear performance evaluated. The suspension sprayed coatings yielded significantly higher scratch resistance, lower friction coefficient and reduced wear rate compared to conventional coatings. The improved tribological behaviour of the former is attributable to finer porosity, smaller splat sizes, and improved interlamellar bonding. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The development of thermo-mechanical stresses during thermal cycling can lead to the formation of detrimental cracks in Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed (APS) Thermal Barrier Coatings systems (TBCs). These stresses are significantly increased by the formation of a Thermally Grown Oxide (TGO) layer that forms through the oxidation of mainly aluminium in the bondcoat layer of the TBC. As shown in previous work done by the authors, the topcoat-bondcoat interface roughness plays a major role in the development of the stress profile in the topcoat and significantly affects the lifetime of TBCs. This roughness profile varies as the TGO layer grows and changes the stress profile in the topcoat leading to crack propagation and thus failure.
In this work, a two-dimensional TGO growth model is presented, based on oxygen and aluminium diffusion-reaction equations, using real interface profiles extracted from cross-section micrographs. The model was first validated by comparing the TGO profiles artificially created by the model to thermally cycled specimens with varying interface roughness. Thereafter, stress profiles in the TBC system, before and after the TGO layer growth, were estimated using a finite element modelling model described in previous work done by the authors. Three experimental specimens consisting of the same chemistry but with different topcoat-bondcoat interface roughness were studied by the models and the stress state was compared to the lifetimes measured experimentally. The combination of the two models described in this work was shown to be an effective approach to assess the stress behaviour and lifetime of TBCs in a comparative way.
Fabrication of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) seems to be a promising alternative for the industry as SPS TBCs have the potential to provide lower thermal conductivity and longer lifetime than state-of-the-art allowing higher engine efficiency. Further improvements in lifetime of SPS TBCs and fundamental understanding of failure mechanisms in SPS TBCs are necessary for their widespread commercialisation. In this study, the influence of varying topcoat-bondcoat interface topography and bondcoat microstructure on lifetime was investigated. The objective of this work was to gain fundamental understanding of relationships between topcoat-bondcoat interface topography, bondcoat microstructure, and failure mechanisms in SPS TBCs. Seven sets of samples were produced in this study by keeping same bondcoat chemistry but varying feedstock particle size distributions and bondcoat spray processes. The topcoat chemistry and spray parameters were kept identical in all samples. Three-dimensional surface measurements along with scanning electron microscopy images were used to characterise bondcoat surface topography. The effect of varying interface topography and bondcoat microstructure on thermally grown oxide formation, stresses and lifetime was discussed. The results showed that varying bondcoat powder size distribution and spray process can have a significant effect on lifetime of SPS TBCs. Smoother bondcoats seemed to enhance the lifetime in case of SPS TBCs in case of same bondcoat chemistry and similar bondcoat microstructures. When considering the samples investigated in this study, samples with high velocity air-fuel (HVAF) bondcoats resulted in higher lifetime than other samples indicating that HVAF could be a suitable process for bondcoat deposition in SPS TBCs. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
Development of thermal barrier coating systems (TBCs) for gas turbine applications allowing higher combustion temperatures is of high interest since it results in higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions. TBCs produced by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) have been shown to exhibit significantly lower thermal conductivity as compared to conventional systems due to their very fine porosity microstructure. However they have not been commercialised yet due to low reliability and life expectancy of the coatings. In addition to the initial topcoat microstructure and its sintering resistance, lifetime of a TBC system is highly dependent on bondcoat chemistry as it influences the growth rate of thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer. To enhance the lifetime of SPS TBCs, fundamental understanding of relationships between topcoat microstructure and its evolution with time, bondcoat chemistry, TGO growth rate, and lifetime is essential. The objective of this work was to study the effect of topcoat microstructure evolution and TGO growth rate on lifetime in SPS TBC systems. Experimental MCrAlY bondcoat powders with different aluminium activities were investigated and compared to a commercial bondcoat powder. High velocity air fuel spraying was used for bondcoat deposition while axial-SPS was used for yttria stabilized zirconia topcoat deposition. Lifetime was examined by thermal cyclic fatigue testing. Isothermal heat treatment was performed to study TGO evolution with time. The changes in microstructure of SPS coatings due to sintering under long term exposure at high temperatures were investigated. Different failure modes in SPS TBCs were also examined. The bondcoat with higher aluminium activity resulted in a significantly higher thermal cyclic lifetime of the corresponding TBC as it could have promoted protective alumina layer growth for a longer period of time. The results indicate that the significant changes in topcoat microstructure due to sintering as observed in this work could have a detrimental effect on TBC lifetime. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
Improvements in performance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) used in gas turbine engines are highly desired as they can result in higher engine efficiency leading to reduction of harmful emissions. Suspension plasma spraying (SPS) has been shown to produce high performance porous columnar TBCs that can provide low thermal conductivity and high durability. Apart from the topcoat microstructure and chemistry, the lifetime of TBCs is also dependent on bondcoat microstructure and chemistry, and topcoat-bondcoat interface roughness. In case of SPS TBCs, the interface roughness can significantly affect the columnar topcoat microstructure, thus making the bondcoat selection even more crucial. In this work, six different sets of samples were produced by fabricating bondcoats with conventional atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), high velocity air fuel (HVAF) spraying, or hybrid water/argon stabilised plasma (WSP-H) gun, and SPS topcoats using axial SPS (ASPS) or WSP-H spray guns. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of varying the topcoat microstructure, bondcoat microstructure and topcoat-bondcoat interface roughness on oxide growth behaviour and thermal cyclic fatigue (TCF) lifetime of SPS TBCs. Samples after failure were investigated to understand the failure mechanism in each case. The results showed that changing the bondcoat spray process and spray gun resulted in significant variation in bondcoat surface roughness. A porous columnar structure was created by the ASPS process, while a feathery columnar structure was created by the WSP-H spray gun in this study. Samples with WSP-H bondcoat resulted in highest cyclic lifetime in this study, despite showing severe oxidation of the bondcoat as compared to APS and HVAF bondcoats. This result could be attributed to the very high bondcoat surface roughness in these samples that could have resulted in improved mechanical anchoring of the topcoat. The HVAF bondcoats showed the best oxidation resistance in this study. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer a promising technique for producing electricity by clean energy conversionthrough an electrochemical reaction of fuel and air. Plasma spraying could be a potential manufacturing routefor commercial SOFCs, as it provides a distinct advantage especially in case of metal supported cells (MSCs) byallowing rapid processing at relatively low processing temperatures preventing thus the degradation of themetallicsubstrate. The objective of this work was to develop nickel/yttria stabilised zirconia (Ni/YSZ) anodes withhigh porosity and homogeneous phase distribution by atmospheric plasma spraying forMSCs. Various feedstockmaterial approaches were explored in this study, both with single injection aswell as separate injection of differentfeedstock materials , and with and without the use of pore formers to create additional porosity. The advantagesand issues with each material route were investigated and discussed. It was shown that agglomerated Ni/YSZ/polyester feedstock material resulted in the best distribution of Ni and YSZ in the anodemicrostructurewithhomogeneous porosity. Subsequently, the Ni/YSZ/polyester material route with different amounts and size distributionsof polyester was chosen to develop anode symmetrical cells using a commercial zirconia sheet as supportfor electrochemical testing. The Ni/YSZ/polyester anode powder with 10 wt.% standard size polyesterexhibited the best electrochemical performance. The results show that plasma spraying of the agglomeratedNi/YSZ/polyester could be a promising route to achieve high performance and rapid production anodes withoutusing the carcinogenic nickel oxide.
Numerous additive manufacturing (AM) techniques have been developed over the past decade. Features like immense freedom of intricate part design and shorter lead time make AM routes promising for a wide range of applications spanning aerospace, marine and automobile sectors. Among the various metal AM processes, Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) is being widely explored to realise the potential of Ni-based superalloys and Ti alloys for varied high-performance applications. A novel attempt has been made in this paper to assess the surface integrity of as-built EBAM nickel-based superalloy 718 (AB) subjected to grinding (G), Low Plasticity Burnishing (LPB) and their sequential combination. Apart from their influence on sub-surface microstructures, the effect of process variables during the above post-treatments on the residual stress profiles was also investigated. Results revealed that G + LPB results in about 0.6 ÎŒm lower surface roughness, 17% improved microhardness compared to AB + LPB, and higher compressive surface residual stress as compared to LPB processed EBAM samples. The sequential grinding and LPB - improved microhardness, was also found to extend about 500 ÎŒm more when compared to the LPB process. The G + LPB, which is greatly influenced by the prior grinding, smoothens the surface and thus results in a better surface finish. Highest hardness, superior surface finish, reduced porosity and improved compressive residual stress were observed in samples that adopted the AB + G + LPB sequence over other samples, with the LPB step at 40 MPa yielding the best results. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
In the current investigation a pre-synthesized nano-crystalline Ni-20Cr powder was deposited by cold-spray technique on SA 516 steel. The powder was synthesized by ball milling approach. The nano-crystallinity of the developed coating was established by crystallite size measurements from XRD profile, which was further endorsed by TEM analysis. High-temperature oxidation behavior of uncoated and coated samples was studied under cyclic isothermal conditions at 900 degrees C for 50 cycles in a laboratory tube furnace. The oxidation rates for the bare and coated steel were evaluated in terms of weight gain data. Different characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses were utilized to characterize the oxide scale. The hardness and oxidation resistance of the steel increased after the application of coating. The reduction in oxidation rate of the base steel was 94%. Moreover, the developed nanostructured coating was observed to reduce weight gain by 64% in comparison with micron-sized Ni-20Cr cold spray coating thus offers a higher oxidation resistance. This may be attributed to relatively denser structure, lower porosity and lower oxide content of the nanostructured coating. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are bilayer systems comprising a 7–8 wt% yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YSZ) top coat deposited over a metallic bond coat. Suspension plasma spraying (SPS) is an advanced and attractive top coat processing technique due to its capability to yield a variety of microstructures, including the desired columnar microstructure for enhanced strain tolerance and durability. This work attempts to investigate the desirable microstructural features in an SPS processed TBCs to mitigate hot corrosion and minimize erosion related losses that are often responsible for coating degradation. SPS processed TBCs were deposited utilizing three different spray conditions to obtain distinct microstructural features (column density, interpass [IP] porosity bands, column width), porosity content, and mechanical properties. Apart from comprehensive characterization utilizing SEM, XRD and micro-indentation tests, the as-deposited TBCs were subjected to hot-corrosion tests in the presence of vanadium pentoxide and sodium sulfate as corrosive salts. Post-corrosion analysis revealed complete infiltration of the molten salts in all the investigated TBCs. However, the delamination cracks generated due to the infiltrated corrosive species were minimal in case of TBCs with higher fracture toughness. The differences in microstructure and mechanical properties also led to differences in erosion performance, with TBCs possessing minimal total porosity content and high fracture toughness best resisting erosion related damage. Post-erosion analysis revealed that the TBCs with higher fracture toughness and micro-hardness showed superior erosion resistance. Based on the erosion and corrosion results and subsequent post-mortem of failed specimens, plausible damage mechanisms are proposed. Findings from this work provide new insights on developing damage tolerant TBCs microstructures with enhanced durability when exposed to erosion and hot corrosion environments.
Abstract In the present study, thick and dense niobium coatings were obtained using cold spray technique by using air as a process gas. Inter-splat boundaries are completely removed in the coatings heat treated at 1500 °C by the formation of equiaxed grains. Heat treatment reduces the porosity level to 0.1%. Inter-splat boundary bonding state of the heat treated coatings was investigated using micro-tensile testing, scratch testing and nanoindentation and compared with the bulk niobium. The elastic modulus of the cold spray coatings heat treated at 1500 °C exhibits as high as 103 GPa whereas the same for bulk is 105 GPa. The increase in mechanical strength of inter-splat boundary from as-sprayed condition to 1500 °C was estimated to be 750%. Similarly corrosion performance of heat treated coatings was also evaluated in 1 M KOH solution through potentiodynamic polarization as well as impedance spectroscopy studies. The corrosion rate for the coatings heat treated at 1500 °C was estimated to be 0.443 MPY which is comparable for the bulk (0.498 MPY). Coatings annealed at 1250 °C and above, which is very close to the recrystallization temperature of niobium, were found to perform almost as bulk niobium indicating exciting implications for various applications. Assessment of structureâproperty correlations was done based on the microstructure, porosity and inter-splat bonding state, together with the mechanical and corrosion properties of the heat treated tantalum cold sprayed coatings.
Deposition of metal matrix composites (MMCs) through thermal spraying has traditionally presented problems associated with heterogeneity, porosity, and low wettability of particulates with matrix. Cold spray is a very rapid deposition process which is suitable for depositing a variety of ductile materials without any thermal degradation. Many researchers have attempted to deposit Al-SiC MMCs with 10–20% SiC using this technique. In the present study, three different powder compositions (FAl-23SiC, FAl-46SiC, FAl-71SiC) obtained by mixing Al and SiC powders were cold sprayed on aluminum substrates. The volume percentage and the average size of the SiC particulates in the cold sprayed coatings were estimated and found to be 23%, 47% and 52% for FAl-23SiC, FAl-46SiC and FAl-71SiC feedstocks, respectively. Effects of percentage and size of the SiC particulate retained in the composite coatings on the mechanical properties and the sliding wear performance were studied at different sliding conditions in the as-sprayed and heat treated conditions. The results were comprehensively analyzed and found to correlate well with the microstructure of the coatings.
Replacement of Electrolytic Hard Chromium (EHC) method by Thermal Spray Technology has shown a growing interest the past decades, mainly pioneered by depositing WC-based material by conventional HVOF processes. Lower thermal energy and higher kinetic energy of sprayed particles achieved by newly-developed Supersonic Air Fuel system, so-called HVAF-M3, significantly reduces decarburization, and increases wear and corrosion resistance properties, making HVAF-sprayed coatings attractive both economically and environmentally. In the present work, a first order process map has been intended via a full factorial Design of Experiments (DoE) to establish relationships between powder feedstock characteristics, such as primary carbides grain size, binder grain size and powder strength, and coatings microstructure and mechanical properties. A second order process map was then established to study possible correlations between the deposit microstructural properties and their respective abrasion/erosion wear and corrosion performances.
Thermal spray is a versatile and cost-effective process to deposit wear and corrosion resistant coatings. In this work, a relatively new ‘Fe-based’ chemistry comprising boride and carbides, is explored as a ‘greener’ alternative to the relatively expensive and carcinogenic Co-based coatings to mitigate wear. The emergent thermal spray process of high-velocity air-fuel (HVAF) spraying was chosen to deposit the Fe-based coatings, with the high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) also being employed solely for the purpose of preliminary comparison. Detailed characterization of the HVOF and HVAF sprayed Fe-based coatings was carried out. Microstructure, porosity, hardness and phase analysis results demonstrate the influence of processing conditions, where specific spray conditions yielded minimal undeformed particulates content, high hardness, low porosity and feedstock phase retention. Differences in microstructural features of the as-deposited coatings in relation to their processing conditions are discussed in detail. The coatings were subjected to ball-on-disc tribometry tests at different load conditions and their friction and wear performance were evaluated. The coefficient of friction results of investigated coatings concurred with their respective microstructural features. Post-mortem of the worn coating surface, the mating alumina ball surface and wear debris was performed using SEM/EDS analysis to understand the associated wear mechanisms and material transfer. This work provides new insights on identifying appropriate HVAF processing conditions to achieve acceptable microstructural features and phases in Fe-based coatings for improved wear performance.
Deployment of a suspension feedstock has been known to alleviate problems associated with using sub-micron and nanosized powder feedstock for thermal spraying of monolithic as well as powder-suspension ‘hybrid’ composite coatings. However, a powder-suspension hybrid feedstock has never been previously used in high-velocity air-fuel (HVAF) spraying. In this work, for the very first time, a chromium carbide (Cr3C2) suspension has been co-sprayed along with an Inconel-625 (IN-625) powder by the HVAF process as an illustrative case study. Two variants of the IN-625 + Cr3C2 hybrid coatings were produced by varying relative powder-suspension feed rates. For comparison, pure IN-625 coating was also deposited utilizing identical spray parameters. Detailed microstructural characterization, porosity content, hardness measurement and phase analysis of the as-deposited coatings was performed. The suspension-derived carbides were retained in the bulk of the coating, resulting in higher hardness. In the dry sliding wear test, the hybrid coatings demonstrated lower wear rate and higher coefficient of friction (CoF) compared to the conventional, powder-derived IN-625 coatings. Furthermore, the wear rate improved slightly with an increase in Cr3C2 content in the hybrid coating. Post-wear analysis of the worn coating, worn alumina ball and the wear debris was performed to understand the wear mechanisms and material transfer in the investigated coatings. In the potentiodynamic polarization test, higher corrosion resistance for hybrid coatings than conventional IN-625 coatings was achieved, indicating that the incorporation of a secondary, carbide phase in the IN-625 matrix did not compromise its corrosion performance. This work demonstrates a novel approach to incorporate any finely distributed second phase in HVAF sprayed coatings to enhance their performance when exposed to harsh environments.
Thermal spraying with a hybrid powder-suspension feedstock presents a novel approach to conveniently realize coatings with unusual chemistries and unique microstructures. In this study, coatings were deposited by simultaneous spraying of T-400 (Tribaloy-400) powder and Cr3C2 suspension with varying relative feed rates. For comparison, pure T-400 coating was also deposited using powder feedstock via atmospheric plasma spray (APS) route to assess the role of incorporating a hard, finely distributed carbide phase in the coating. SEM (Scanning electron microscopy)/EDS (Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) investigation of the hybrid coatings revealed a lamellar microstructure with distributed fine carbides. XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis of the feedstock and hybrid coatings showed the presence of original feedstock constituents, along with some oxides of chromium, in the deposited coating. Hardness measurements on the as-sprayed coatings indicated higher hardness in hybrid coatings than in the pure T-400 coating. The deposited coatings were subjected to scratch testing on polished surfaces as well as on polished cross sections. The scratching response of the coatings was examined by SEM analysis. Results demonstrated that the hybrid coatings possess excellent scratch resistance, superior compared to the pure T-400 coating, which is promising for extending the durability of engineering components operating under severe wear conditions. This was confirmed by abrasion test results which established the superior wear resistance of hybrid coatings. The above hybrid approach is easily extendable to other material systems and can have important implications in the realization of next-generation wear resistant coatings. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
Rare earth zirconates have lower thermal conductivity, better phase stability, improved sintering resistance and CMAS (calcium magnesium alumino silicates) infiltration resistance than yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) at temperatures above 1200 °C. However, their lower fracture toughness and lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) compared to YSZ lead to premature coating failure. In order to overcome these drawbacks at higher temperatures, a multilayered coating approach is attempted in this study and compared with the single layer YSZ. Suspension plasma spray of single layer YSZ, single layer gadolinium zirconate (GZ) and double layer GZ/YSZ was carried out. Additionally, a triple layer coating system, with denser gadolinium zirconate on top of the GZ/YSZ system was sprayed to impart an added functionality of sealing the TBC from CMAS infiltration. Microstructural analysis was done using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. Columnar microstructure with vertical cracks was observed. XRD analysis was used to identify phases formed in the as sprayed TBC samples. Porosity measurements were done using water impregnation method. Thermal diffusivity of single and multi-layered coatings was obtained by laser flash analysis and thermal conductivity of the coating systems was determined. It was found that the thermal conductivity of single layer gadolinium zirconate was lower than YSZ and that the thermal conductivity of multilayered systems were between their respective single layers. The single (YSZ), double (GZ/YSZ) and triple (GZ dense/GZ/YSZ) layer TBCs were subjected to thermal cyclic fatigue (TCF) test at 1100 °C and 1200 °C. It was observed that the single layer YSZ had lowest TCF life whereas the triple layer TBC had highest TCF life irrespective of test temperature.
7-8 wt% yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is the standard ceramic top coat material used in gasturbines to insulate the underlying metallic substrate. However, at higher temperatures(>1200 °C), phase stability and sintering becomes an issue for YSZ. At these temperatures,YSZ is also susceptible to CMAS (calcium magnesium alumino silicates) infiltration. New ceramic materials such as pyrochlores have thus been proposed due to their excellent properties such as lower thermal conductivity and better CMAS attack resistance compared to YSZ. However, pyrochlores have inferior thermo mechanical properties compared to YSZ.Therefore, double-layered TBCs with YSZ as the intermediate layer and pyrochlore as the top ceramic layer have been proposed. In this study, double layer TBC comprising gadoliniumzirconate (GZ)/YSZ and triple layer TBC (GZdense/GZ/YSZ) comprising relatively denser GZtop layer on GZ/YSZ were deposited by suspension plasma spray. Also, single layer 8YSZ TBC was suspension plasma sprayed to compare its functional performance with the multilayered TBCs. Cross sections and top surface morphology of as sprayed TBCs were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis was done to identify phases formed in the top surface of as sprayed TBCs. Porosity measurements were made using water intrusionand image analysis methods. Thermal diffusivity of the as sprayed TBCs was measured using laser flash analysis and thermal conductivity of the TBCs was calculated. The multi-layered GZ/YSZ TBCs were shown to have lower thermal conductivity than the single layer YSZ. Theas sprayed TBCs were also subjected to thermal cyclic testing at 1300 ºC. The double and triple layer TBCs had a longer thermal cyclic life compared to YSZ. The failed samples were cold mounted and analyzed by SEM.
In this work, three double layered thermal barrier coating (TBC) variations with different gadolinium zirconate (GZ) and YSZ thickness (400GZ/100YSZ, 250GZ/250YSZ and 100GZ/400YSZ respectively, where the prefixed numbers before GZ and YSZ represent the layer thickness in μm), were produced by suspension plasma spray (SPS) process. The objective was to investigate the influence of YSZ thickness on the thermal conductivity and thermal shock lifetime of the GZ/YSZ double layered TBCs. The as sprayed TBCs were characterized using SEM, XRD and porosity measurements. Thermal diffusivity measurements were made using laser flash analysis and the thermal conductivity of the TBCs was calculated. The double layered TBC with the lowest YSZ (400GZ/100YSZ) thickness showed lower thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity. The double layered TBCs were subjected to thermal shock test at a TBC surface temperature of 1350 °C. Results indicate that the TBC with a higher YSZ thickness (100GZ/400YSZ) showed inferior thermal shock lifetime whereas the TBCs with low YSZ thickness showed comparatively higher thermal shock lifetimes. Failure of the TBCs after thermal shock test was analyzed using SEM and XRD to gain further insights.
Gadolinium zirconate (GZ)-based TBCs comprising GZ as the top layer and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as the base layer, are attractive double-layered thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for high temperature gas turbine engine application. This work attempts to understand the influence of individual layer microstructure on the durability of GZ/YSZ double-layered TBCs processed by suspension plasma spray (SPS). Two different spray parameters were chosen to obtain a combination of three microstructurally distinct GZ/YSZ double-layered TBCs i.e. GZ porous (P)/YSZ porous (P), GZ dense (D)/YSZ porous (P) and GZ dense (D)/YSZ dense (D). Thermal diffusivity of the as-deposited coatings was measured using Laser Flash Analysis (LFA) technique and the thermal conductivity of the TBCs was calculated. The GZ/YSZ double-layered TBC specimens were subjected to two different durability tests, i.e. thermal cyclic fatigue (TCF) and burner rig test (BRT). Sintering behavior of the individual layer TBC microstructures was evaluated by comparing the porosity evolution in as-deposited and TCF tested TBCs. Fracture toughness measurements performed on each layer of the double-layered TBCs were correlated with the durability results. Thermal cycling results amply demonstrate that the individual layer microstructure of GZ/YSZ double-layered TBC influenced its durability. Detailed failure analysis of the TCF and BRT failed specimens revealed similar failure modes for GZ (P)/YSZ (P), GZ (D)/YSZ (P) and GZ (D/YSZ (D) TBCs under identical thermal cyclic test conditions. However, failure modes differed when subjected to different thermal cyclic test conditions (TCF and BRT) and the probable causes are discussed. Findings from this work provide key insights on designing durable GZ/YSZ double-layered TBCs.
Abstract Gadolinium zirconate (GZ) is considered as a promising top coat candidate for high temperature TBC applications. Suspension plasma spray has shown the capability to generate a wide range of microstructures including the desirable columnar microstructure. In this study, two different TBC architectures were deposited using the axial suspension plasma spray. The first variation was a triple layered TBC comprising of thin YSZ base layer beneath a relatively porous GZ intermediate layer and a dense GZ top layer. The second variation was a composite TBC architecture of GZ and YSZ comprising of thin YSZ base layer and GZ + YSZ top layer. Cross sectional SEM analysis of the layered and composite TBCs revealed a columnar microstructure. The porosity content of the deposited TBCs was measured using two methods (Image Analysis and Water Intrusion). The as-sprayed TBCs were exposed at 900 °C for 8 h to a corrosive salt environment consisting of a mixture of vanadium pentoxide and sodium sulfate. XRD analysis on the as-corroded TBCs top surface showed the presence of gadolinium vanadate in both the layered and the composite TBCs. SEM/EDS analysis of the top surface and the cross-section of the layered and composite TBCs after hot corrosion test revealed the infiltration of the molten salts through the columnar gaps. The composite TBC showed a lower hot corrosion induced damage compared to the layered TBC where a considerable spallation was observed.
Tribaloy T400 (CoCrMoSi) caters to heavy-duty industrial tribological demands, but exhibits low fracture toughness with compromised resistance to crack propagation owing to the disparity in % Laves phases. In response to this limitation, hybrid suspension-powder plasma-sprayed novel Cr3C2 (d50 of 3.8 ÎŒm)/TiC (d50 of 2.2 ÎŒm) reinforced T400 (average powder size of 10â45 ÎŒm) coatings are deposited on grit-blasted SSAB Domex®350 LA steel. Continuous, adherent and co-existing lamellar T400-carbide coatings of 100 ÎŒm thickness were revealed in microstructure analysis. Intermetallic CoMoSi/Co3Mo2Si Laves and eutectic Co7Mo6/Co2Mo7 phases in T400 in addition to Cr3C2/TiC characteristic phases are confirmed via X-ray diffraction study. T400-Cr3C2 and T400-TiC have exhibited enhancement in elastic modulus (E) by 39%, and 36%, Vickers hardness (Hv) by 68%, and 82.5%; which consequently elucidates the augmentation in plasticity index (re) by 15.7% and 26.7%, and the drop in maximum displacement amplitude (hmax) by 14.9% and 19.8%, respectively, in T400-Cr3C2 and T400-TiC with reference to T400 (E of 135.2 GPa, Hv of 6.3 GPa, re = 0.318, and hmax = 1947 nm). A subsequent surmised fretting Hertzian contact diameter in T400-Cr3C2 ( 95.43 ÎŒm)/T400-TiC ( 96.1 ÎŒm) evaluated against T400 ( 106.9 ÎŒm) from optical profilometry indicates an improved damage tolerance. A contact area-based wear model, proposed herein to assess wear on a rough surface, further justifies the wear characteristics. Furthermore, synergistic L929 cell viability is recorded in T400-Cr3C2 (by 46%) and T400-TiC (by 30%) when compared with the control (+ve) disk. To conclude, suspension-powder plasma-sprayed T400-Cr3C2/T400-TiC composite coatings allude potential application in wear-resistant articulating surfaces by eliciting significantly enhanced micro-hardness through refined microstructure retention, improved fretting wear resistance by forming protective tribofilm, and augmented cellular response. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
Thermal spraying of suspensions allows preparation of coatings from submicron-sized powders but demands a source of heat with a high enthalpy in order to provide an appropriate thermal treatment of the liquid feedstock during the in-flight stage so that the solvent may be evaporated, dispersed particles melted and accelerated towards the substrate to form a coating. Water-stabilized plasma (WSP) torch developed at the Institute of Plasma Physics AS CR, v.v.i. provides such a heat source with high enthalpy, high velocity of the plasma and, when compared to high-enthalpy gas-stabilized plasma (GSP) torches, relatively cheap operation. In this study, results of our experiments with suspension spraying of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with WSP torch are presented and demonstrate that coating deposition with a high feed rate is possible with WSP technology. Formation of both columnar “cauliflower†microstructure and segmentation cracks was achieved. Variation of the deposition conditions was observed to modify coating microstructure in terms of splat morphology, porosity and thickness per pass, which is promising for further coating development.
In this work, CrAlN films with Al/Cr atomic ratios between 0.02 and 1.4 were deposited on tool inserts by AC magnetron sputtering at 5 kW for three different Ar/N-2 flow rates. The unique configuration of the inverted cylindrical magnetron sputtering (ICM-10) system enables the deposition of compositionally graded Cr-Al-N coatings under a single deposition condition. The effect of aluminum on the structural, mechanical and tribological properties of (CrAl)N coatings are reported and compared with ALCRONA and CrN coatings from Balzers. Mechanical properties have been evaluated by the microhardness indentation technique, and the hardness is 18 and 15 GPa for CrN and CrAlN films, respectively. The tribological tests have been performed using the pin-on-disc method at room temperature and 700 degrees C. The results indicate that the coefficient of friction at room temperature and 700 degrees C for all the deposited coatings, Balzers-ALCRONA and CrN fall between 0.4-0.6. The wear volume at high temperature (700 degrees C) decreases with increase in Al incorporation. Auger Electron Spectroscopy reveals that all films have about 10 at.% of oxygen. Atomic Force Microscopy showed that our films had roughness ranging from 80 to 150 nm. X-ray mapping on (Cr, Al)N coatings for different Ar/N-2 gas compositions showed transitions from cubic to hexagonal with decreasing nitrogen. (0 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The present study compares the performance of microarc oxidation (MAO) and hard anodizing (HA) treated Al-Mg-Si alloy (AA6063) test samples under cyclic loading in uniaxial tension with a stress ratio of 0.1 (plain fatigue) and fretting fatigue loading. Fatigue test specimens were treated using MAO and HA techniques. MAO coated specimens were ground to reduce the surface roughness comparable with that in HA coated specimens. In that process the porous outer layer was removed. Characterization of coated and uncoated specimens was done with reference to the coating morphology, microhardness, surface roughness and residual stress. The specimens were tested under plain fatigue and fretting fatigue loading at ambient temperature. While the ground MAO coating exhibited relatively less amount of porosity, HA coating had through thickness cracks. MAO coating had compressive residual stress and it was very hard compared with HA coating. Both types of coated samples exhibited slightly higher friction force than that experienced by the uncoated specimens. Fretted region of the HA coated samples was rougher than that of the MAO coated specimens. Plain fatigue lives of both coated samples were inferior to those of the uncoated specimens. The inferior plain fatigue lives of MAO coated specimens compared with those of the substrate may be attributed to the tensile residual stresses supposedly present in the substrate leading to an early crack initiation in the substrate adjacent to the coating. As friction force of MAO coated samples was higher than that experienced by uncoated specimens, the fretting fatigue lives of MAO coated samples were slightly inferior to those of uncoated samples. As the anodized layer had preexisting through thickness cracks and strong adhesion with the substrate, cracks propagated from HA coating through the interface into the substrate easily. This may be the reason for the HA coated samples exhibiting inferior plain fatigue and fretting fatigue lives compared with MAO coated and uncoated samples. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Detonation gun spray technique was employed to coat Al-Mg-Si alloy (AA 6063) specimens with Cu-Ni-In powder. Coated samples were characterized with reference to the microstructure, porosity, residual stresses, microhardness and surface roughness. Plain fatigue (without fretting) and fretting fatigue tests were carried out at room temperature on uncoated and coated specimens. The detonation gun spray process resulted in a dense coating of almost uniform deposition with low porosity (0.3%) and good adhesion between the substrate and the coating. Under plain fatigue loading 40 mu m thick coated samples exhibited superior lives compared with uncoated and 100 mu m thick coated specimens due to the presence of higher surface compressive residual stress in the former. Delamination-induced failure resulted in inferior lives of 100 mu m thick coated specimens. Under fretting fatigue deformation 40 mu m thick coated specimens exhibited superior lives compared with 100 mu m thick coated samples owing to higher compressive residual stress at the surface and better interfacial adhesion. At 120 MPa stress level 40 pm thick coated specimens exhibited superior fretting fatigue life compared with uncoated sample and at stress levels above 120 MPa the converse was true. This was attributed to interface cracking at higher stress levels. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Chlorine-induced high-temperature corrosion and erosion-corrosion behavior of amorphous Fe-based coatings sprayed by high velocity air-fuel (HVAF) and high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) techniques were investigated. The coated specimens were first exposed to isothermal high-temperature corrosion at 600 °C in ambient air with and without KCl. The exposed specimens were then subjected to alumina erodent. The as-sprayed HVAF coating showed a more compact and uniform microstructure with a higher hardness leading to higher corrosion and erosion-corrosion resistance. After erosion, all the coatings similarly exhibited a combined brittle/ductile damage to surface oxide scale that previously formed in the corrosive environment. The corrosion and erosion-corrosion behavior of the coatings primarily relied on the uniformity of coatingsâ microstructure and distribution of alloying elements to form the protective oxide scale in the corrosive environment, which can resist against erodent in the erosive media. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
The power generation industry has been progressively shifting towards higher operating steam temperatures and pressures to increase efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. However, higher operating temperatures lead to more aggressive oxidation of the boiler components. A promising route to improve the durability of degradation-prone components is through deployment of high-performance coatings. In the present work, four Ni-based coatings - Ni21Cr, Ni5Al, Ni21Cr9Mo, and Ni21Cr7Al1Y - thermally sprayed by the high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) technique on boiler steel (16Mo3) substrates were investigated. The isothermal oxidation behavior of the coatings was studied in ambient air environment at 600 °C for different time intervals i.e. 1, 5, 10, 24, 48, 96, and 168 h. The oxidation behavior of the as-sprayed and polished coatings was compared. The protective α-Al2O3 was not detected on the exposed alumina-forming NiAl coating. On the other hand, Cr2O3 along with a small amount of NiO were the main oxidation products on the surface of the NiCr and NiCrMo coatings, and were found to be relatively less protective. The mixed-oxide scale forming NiCrAlY coatings showed the best oxidation resistance due to the formation of a thin and slow-growing Al2O3 scale along with Ni(Al,Cr)2O4 and Cr2O3. The polished coatings were found to significantly reduce the oxidation rate in each case as the protective scale-forming elements were more uniformly supplied to the surface oxide scale by removing the surface asperities. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
The formation of a protective chromia scale on stainless steels is known to be suppressed by the presence of water vapor in reducing conditions. Thermal spray coatings present a promising approach to improve the durability of steels by transferring the first line of oxidation attack from the bulk steel to the coating. In the present work, isothermal oxidation behavior of Ni and NiCr coatings deposited by High-Velocity Air Fuel (HVAF) process on 304L stainless steel was investigated at 600 degrees C for 168 h. Ar-10%H-2-20%H2O was selected as the oxidation environment to study the oxidation behavior of the coatings in a low pO(2) environment containing H2 and H2O. BIB/ SEM, EDS, and XRD techniques were used to characterize the as-sprayed coatings and to investigate the oxidation mechanisms in the coated samples. Results showed that both Ni and NiCr coatings imparted oxidation protection to the 304L substrate. The chromia-forming 304L steel presented a duplex but non-protective oxide scale comprising of an outer Fe3O4 layer on an inner (Fe, Cr)(3)O-4-spinel oxide. In contrast, the NiCr coating presented superior oxidation behavior due to the formation of a continuous, thin, and slow-growing Cr2O3 scale. The Ni coating, too, protected the substrate owing to limited nucleation and growth of the deleterious NiO scale in the low-oxygen -activity environment. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Fe-based coatings have been shown to be viable alternatives to the more expensive and less environmentally friendly Co- and Ni-based coatings. In the present work, the microstructural characteristics and corrosion behavior of Fe-based coatings deposited by high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) and high-velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) processes were comparatively investigated. Different sets of powder composition and particle size were used to decrease the porosity and increase the corrosion resistance of the coatings. The corrosion behavior of the coatings was studied using electrochemical techniques, including open-circuit potential (OCP) and polarization tests in 3.5 wt% NaCl at 25 °C. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) were used to characterize the as-sprayed and corroded coatings. The results revealed that the HVAF coatings had lower porosity and oxide content than the HVOF coatings. The polarization tests confirmed that the HVAF coatings sprayed with finer particle size (− 36 + 20 μm) have higher polarization resistance (Rp) than the coatings produced by powders (− 53 + 20 μm). Based on SEM analysis, it was observed that corrosion initiated and grew through the surface defects of the coating and propagated through inter-lamellar boundaries.
Bi-layer coating systems comprising a Cr3C2-NiCr coating with different underlying coatings of Ni, NiCr, NiCoCrAlY, and CoNiCrAlY were deposited on 304L stainless steel substrates using the high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) process. The corrosion behavior of the coating systems was studied using electrochemical and immersion tests in 3.5 wt% NaCl at 25 °C. The higher open-circuit potential (OCP) value of the NiCoCrAlY coating (− 120 mV/SCE) compared to the value of the Cr3C2-NiCr coating (− 230 mV/SCE) revealed that the underlying NiCoCrAlY coating was sacrificially protected by Cr3C2-NiCr coating. The polarization resistance (Rp) of the bi-layer coatings with the different underlying coatings of Ni, NiCr, NiCoCrAlY and CoNiCrAlY was approximately 77, 189, 487, and 74 kΩ·cm2 respectively, while the value was 101 kΩ·cm2 for the single-layer Cr3C2-NiCr coating and 30 kΩ·cm2 for the 304L substrate, which confirmed a higher corrosion protection of the NiCoCrAlY coating. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results showed that the corrosion resistance of the 304L substrate was significantly improved by adding an intermediate layer of NiCoCrAlY to the Cr3C2-NiCr coating. Results of the immersion tests confirmed that the underlying coatings in the different bi-layer coating systems acted as protective barriers. Moreover, the NiCoCrAlY coating showed the best corrosion protection among the investigated underlying coatings.
Detonation gun (D-gun) spraying is one of the most promising thermal spray variants for depositing high quality wear resistant coatings. Of all the ceramic materials that can be D-gun sprayed, alumina (Al2O3) is the most widely established and these coatings have already gained industrial acceptance for diverse applications. The present study deals with a statistical design of experimental study of the D-gun spraying of Al2O3 powder. Coating experiments were conducted, using a Taguchi-full factorial (L16) design parametric study, to optimize the D-gun spray process parameters. Four selected important spraying parameters were considered in their upper and lower levels of the predefined range according to the test matrix, in order to display the range of processing conditions and their effect on the coating quality. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, image analysis and hardness testing was used for characterization. Coating qualities are discussed with respect to surface roughness, hardness, porosity and microstructure. The attributes of the coatings are correlated with the changes in operating parameters and their relative importance and contribution ratios to overall variance are calculated. Detonation gun (D-gun) spraying is one of the most promising thermal spray variants for depositing high quality wear resistant coatings. Of all the ceramic materials that can be D-gun sprayed, alumina (Al2O3) is the most widely established and these coatings have already gained industrial acceptance for diverse applications. The present study deals with a statistical design of experimental study of the D-gun spraying of Al2O3 powder. Coating experiments were conducted, using a Taguchi-full factorial (L16) design parametric study, to optimize the D-gun spray process parameters. Four selected important spraying parameters were considered in their upper and lower levels of the predefined range according to the test matrix, in order to display the range of processing conditions and their effect on the coating quality. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, image analysis and hardness testing was used for characterization. Coating qualities are discussed with respect to surface roughness, hardness, porosity and microstructure. The attributes of the coatings are correlated with the changes in operating parameters and their relative importance and contribution ratios to overall variance are calculated.
Diode laser surface treatment of three different railroad steels, namely pearlitic railroad-rail steel (PRS), ferritic-pearlitic railroad-wheel steel (FPRS) and bainitic railroad-rail steel (BRS), has been investigated. Power-ramping experiments, with in-situ surface temperature measurement, were initially carried out to assess surface temperature effects on treated layers. Influence of laser energy on characteristics of treated layers like surface topology, case-depth, microstructure and micro-hardness was comprehensively analyzed. Results revealed that the hardened layer depth is governed by both the process parameters as well as the nature of the substrate steel. With melting, significant reduction in hardness was noted owing to an increase in residual austenite and coarsening of martensitic microstructure. Unlubricated dry-sliding wear tests performed under close to real rail/wheel conditions revealed substantial improvement in wear resistance of hardened/melted rail steels compared to the parent substrates. The observed differences in characteristics of the laser-treated layers and their tribological behavior have been correlated with the chemistry and prior microstructure of the parent substrates. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Cavitation and corrosion on hydrodynamic components and systems reduces the operational efficiency. The use of wear resistant coatings has been studied as a solution to the problem of corrosion and cavitation in industrial environments. The high velocity oxy-fuel process (HVOF) can produce coatings with high density and bond strength. High velocity air-fuel (HVAF) is an alternative process, which can deposit coatings with higher velocity and lower temperatures, compared to the HVOF process, resulting in lower oxide content. This paper analyzes the HVOF and HVAF processes to deposit FeCrMnSiNi and FeCrMnSiB coatings, comparing their cavitation and corrosion resistance. HVAF coatings presented lower porosity and oxide levels, as well as higher hardness values. The HVAF process presented better cavitation and corrosion resistance, due to lower porosity and oxide contents of the coatings. The amount of oxides and pores in the coatings was crucial in their corrosive behavior, by facilitating the penetration of the chloride ions through the pores, leading to a higher corrosion rate and pitting formation. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
In recent times, plasma sprayed powder-solution precursor hybrid composite thermal barrier coatings have been developed to harness the dual benefits of both conventional atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) processes. In this study, hot corrosion behavior of plasma sprayed powder-solution precursor composite (PSP-SPC) YSZ TBCs in molten salt mixtures of 90 wt.% Na2SO4 + 5 wt.% V2O5 + 5 wt.% NaCl and 50 wt.% Na2SO4 + 50 wt.% V2O5 at 900 °C was investigated. The employed coating showed a bimodal microstructure comprising coarse splats derived from the powder feedstock as in the APS process and fine splats resulting from the solution precursor as typical of SPPS process. The PSP-SPC coatings showed a significantly higher resistance to spallation than APS, SPPS and EB-PVD coatings in both the salt environments. These coatings showed shorter life in vanadate environment compared to that of the chloride environments as the former promotes the formation of monoclinic ZrO2 and YVO4 phases more than the latter. © 2018
The paper describes the ceramic top coats of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) obtained by Suspension Plasma Spraying (SPS). The spray process realized with different plasma torches allowed obtaining coatings having different morphology, namely, columnar-like and two-zones microstructure. The microstructures influenced the thermal transport properties of TBC’s. The study analyses the thermophysical properties of yttria and yttria- with ceria- stabilized zirconia coatings, i.e. YSZ and YCeSZ, respectively. The spray processes were realized with the use of three different plasma spray torches: (i) SG-100; (ii) Axial III and (iii) hybrid WSP one. The deposition parameters were designed for each plasma torch separately. The microstructure of coatings was then analyzed using Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy i.e. OM and SEM, respectively. The thermophysical properties of the coatings such as density, specific heat and thermal dilatation were measured using gas pycnometry, calorimetry and dilatometry methods respectively. The collected data were used, together with thermal diffusivity found with the use of laser flash method, to calculate the thermal conductivity of the deposits. The thermal conductivities of coatings were in a range from 0.63 to 0.99 [W/m.K] for YSZ samples and between 0.82 and 1.37 [W/m.K] in the case of YCeSZ coatings. Thermal transport properties were found to be influenced by the coatings’ porosity and their microstructure. Finally, the thermal conductivity values were successfully validated using response function method, which can be an alternative to complex FEM methods. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The presented studies are focused on the microstructure characterization of zirconia-based coatings deposited by two types of high-energy plasma torches: (i) Axial III; and, (ii) hybrid version of Water-Stabilized Plasma (WSP) torch. The suspensions were formulated using solid dispersed phase of: (i) zirconia stabilized with 14 wt of Y2O3 and (ii) zirconia stabilized with 24 wt% of CeO2 + 2.5 wt% of Y2O3 and continuous phase of water with ethanol. The spray process parameters were optimized for each plasma set-up individually. The in-flight observations (shadowgraphy) were performed to optimize the injection of the liquid feedstock into the plasma jet. Then the coating’s morphology and coating/substrate interface were characterized using conventional light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that through the change of deposition parameters various coatings microstructures could be obtained, in particular columnar and two-zones structures. The EDS/EDX and XRD studies showed that there was no significant change in chemical/phase composition of zirconia material before and after spraying. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method allowed to analyze the grain size in the coating microstructure as well as crystallographic orientation of individual grains. The results showed that coatings were characterized by submicrometric microstructure what corresponded to the size of powder particles used to formulate suspension. No texture was observed in the coatings microstructure. The surface topography analysis which was performed by confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) and Shape From Shading (SFS) technique proved the great influence of suspension concentration on the coating structure. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Surface engineering approaches are being increasingly employed for enhancing the effective life of twist drills with a view to reduce machining costs. The electro-spark coating (ESC) technique provides a promising means of depositing wear resistant coatings that can potentially enhance the performance of these tools. However, it is often necessary to also optimize the machining conditions for coated tools to achieve an enhanced tool life. In the present investigation, varying spindle speeds were employed at a fixed vertical feed to evaluate the performance of WC-8Co ESC coated HSS drills in comparison to bare HSS drills. The number of holes drilled before reaching a preset average flank wear (0.5 mm), or catastrophic failure of the drill, was taken as the measure of tool life. The drill flank wear, monitored at regular intervals, as well as the cutting torque and thrust measured for all holes, were considered to be the key criteria for optimizing the cutting conditions. Results indicate that the WC-8Co coated drill tool life can be increased by a factor of more than 5, depending on the machining conditions selected. Furthermore, flank wear of the drill was found to increase rapidly at the end of drill life. Cutting torque data was also found to provide a useful indicator for predicting the end of tool life. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The novel method of hybrid suspension plasma spraying of dry coarse aluminum oxide powder with chromium oxide suspension using hybrid water/argon-stabilized (WSP-H 500) plasma torch was utilized for the deposition of coatings with very high α-phase content reaching up to 90%. The deposition mechanism and phase composition were compared with those of coatings deposited from i) intermixed alumina-chromia suspension and ii) alumina suspension doped with chromium nitrate nonahydrate solution. All deposition routes showed alternative ways of preparation of novel multimaterial coatings. It was demonstrated that the chromia addition and the deposition route play the crucial role in the pronounced formation of the thermodynamically stable α-phase. © 2019
Cobalt-based alloys such as Tribaloy-400 are known for their sliding wear resistance at room as well as elevated temperature. However, further enhancement in terms of hardness and wear resistance could be achieved by creating metal matrix composites reinforced by ceramic particles. For this purpose, Tribaloy-400 based coatings were deposited with the addition of different amounts of TiC reinforcement (≈25 vol%, ≈40 vol%, ≈60 vol%) through a “hybrid” plasma spray process, using a dry Tribaloy-400 powder with 10–45 μm particle size and a water-based TiC suspension (d50 = 2.2 μm). Pure Tribaloy and pure TiC coatings were employed for comparison. During spraying, TiC was partly oxidized but could nonetheless be embedded between the bigger Tribaloy-400 lamellae. Specifically, the coating containing ≈ 25 vol% TiC shows a homogeneous microstructure, whilst greater amounts of hard phase lead to some agglomeration. Accordingly, the coating with 25 vol% TiC exhibits a good combination of hardness and toughness (the latter being assessed by scratch testing) and low sliding wear rates of ≈10−5–10−6 mm3/(N·m) from room temperature up to 700 °C in ball-on-disc tests against an Al2O3 counterbody. At room temperature, the tribological behaviour of the coatings is controlled by abrasive grooving and spallation due to surface fatigue. With increasing temperature, tribochemical phenomena take on an ever-increasing role and, at 700 °C, a uniform, oxide-based tribofilm is developed, so that the wear rates are often lower than are recorded at 400 °C.