Wear-resistant ceramic coatings deposited by liquid thermal spraying

As a surface strengthening and surface modification technology of materials, liquid thermal spray technology has been used in many fields, such as wear and friction reduction, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature oxidation resistance. This article reviews the progress of liquid thermal sprayed coating in wear resistance as well as friction reduction in recent years. The influences of microstructure, composition, phase structure and mechanical properties on the tribological properties of typical coatings (including ceramic coatings and multiphase composite coatings) are investigated. The tribological properties of the coating are determined by the coating characteristics (including microstructure, porosity, mechanical properties, etc.) and the service conditions (working temperature, lubrication state, etc.). Typical ceramic wear-resistant coatings include Al₂O₃, YSZ, HA coatings, etc. The tribological properties of the coating can be significantly improved through process optimization and heat treatment. The comparison of nanostructured and microstructured ceramic-based coating reveals that nanostructured coating reduces wear by absorbing stress. The interaction between different constituent phases improves wear resistance and reduces wear in composite coatings. Finally, various challenges faced by liquid thermal spray are pointed out, and future research focuses are proposed.     

Cr–C/h-BN 自润滑复合镀层的制备与摩擦学性能

在三价铬Cr–C镀液中添加1~5 g/L的h-BN自润滑微粒,运用直流电沉积技术在Q235碳素结构钢基体上制备了Cr–C/h-BN复合镀层。利用扫描电镜(SEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、显微硬度计、摩擦磨损试验机等设备分析了h-BN微粒添加量、电流密度等工艺参数对镀层组织和性能的影响。结果表明:在电流密度20 A/dm2,h-BN添加量3 g/L的条件下,可获得h-BN微粒体积分数为6.15%的复合镀层。h-BN微粒的添加改善了Cr–C合金镀层的耐磨性,Cr–C/h-BN复合镀层在室温干摩擦条件下的磨损率减少了22%,平均摩擦因数由原先的0.49降低至0.31。     

Preparation and characterization of YSZ abradable sealing coating through mixed solution precursor plasma spraying

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic matrix abradable sealing coatings were prepared by plasma spraying of a blend of YSZ solution precursor with YSZ nano-particles. The microstructure and phase compositions of the prepared abradable sealing coatings were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the mechanical, high-temperature oxidation, and tribological properties of the coatings were systematically investigated. The results show that addition of YSZ nano-particles increased porosity and bond strength and decreased the hardness of the coating. The optimum performance value was achieved by addition of 5?g nano-particles into the coating. The coatings maintained excellent thermal stability through a ten-cycle thermal shock test at 1150?°C. The 8YSZ-5 coating had an improved oxidation constant of 5.540?×?10^?4 and exhibited remarkable oxidation kinetics at 1150?°C. The friction coefficient of the mixed solution precursor coating was remarkably decreased compared with a traditional ceramic matrix abradable sealing coating. The results indicate that mixed solution precursor plasma spraying increased abradable sealing coating application performance.     

Tribological behavior of graphene reinforced chemically bonded ceramic coatings

To investigate tribological behavior of graphene reinforced chemically bonded ceramic coatings at different temperatures, tribological tests at room temperature, 200 °C and 500 °C were carried out. Results show that the fracture toughness and the hardness of the coating are improved with the introduction of graphene. Besides, the friction coefficient of the coating decreases with the addition of graphene at the room temperature and 200 °C. The coating without graphene achieves the similar friction coefficient at all temperatures. However, the coating with graphene achieves the lowest friction coefficient at 200 °C, and achieves the highest at 500 °C. In addition, the wear rate of the coating decreases with the increase of graphene. Besides, the wear rate at 200 °C is almost similar with that at room temperature. In contrast, the wear rate at 500 °C is much larger than those at room temperature and 200 °C. The mechanisms for graphene to decrease the friction coefficient and improve the wear resistance of chemically bonded ceramic coatings at evaluated temperatures are clarified.     

YSZ/MoS2 self-lubricating coating fabricated by thermal spraying and hydrothermal reaction

Thermal sprayed ceramic coatings have extensively been used in components to protect them against friction and wear. However, the poor lubricating ability severely limits their application. Herein, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/MoS₂ composite coatings were successfully fabricated on steel substrate with the combination of thermal spraying technology and hydrothermal reaction. Results show that the synthetic MoS₂ powders are composed of numbers of ultra-thin sheets (about 7 ~ 8?nm), and the sheet has obvious lamellar structure. After vacuum impregnation and hydrothermal reaction, numbers of MoS₂ powders, look like flowers, generate inside the plasma sprayed YSZ coating. Moreover, the growing point of the MoS₂ flower is the intrinsic micro-pores of YSZ coating. The friction and wear tests under high vacuum environment indicate that the composite coating has an extremely long lifetime (>?100,000 cycles) and possesses a low friction coefficient less than 0.1, which is lower by about 0.15 times than that of YSZ coating. Meanwhile, the composite shows an extremely low wear rate (2.30?×?10^?7 mm³ N^?1 m^?1) and causes slight wear damage to the counterpart. The excellent lubricant and wear-resistant ability are attributed to the formation of MoS₂ transfer films and the ultra-smooth of the worn surfaces of hybrid coatings.     

Structures and tribological performances of PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone)-based coatings designed for tribological application

Driven by economical and ecological reasons, thermoplastic-based coatings become a potential solution for anti-wear purpose. Two coating design concepts, flame spraying and printing PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone)-based coatings on Al substrate, were introduced in this paper. An amorphous PEEK coating was obtained by these two techniques. After being annealed, the coating presents a semi-crystalline structure. The friction and wear behaviors of PEEK-based coatings were investigated by means of ball-on-disc tests. The results show that PEEK coatings exhibit an excellent tribological performance with a relatively low coefficient of friction and wear rate. The semi-crystalline PEEK coating exhibits a lower friction coefficient and wear rate than the amorphous one. The additions of micron-sized particles such as SiC and graphite in PEEK coating can improve significantly the coating wear resistance.     

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of ultrasonic assisted laser clad yttria stabilized zirconia coating

Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings were fabricated on a titanium alloy substrate by ultrasonic assisted laser cladding technique and the effect of ultrasonic vibration on the microstructureevolution and mechanical properties was investigated. Experimental results indicated that with the increase of ultrasonic output power, the clad depth increased, the wettability between coating and substrate was improved, the size of equiaxed grains in the cladding zone decreased, and the band structures were broken up gradually. Simultaneously, the element content distribution along the thickness of coating in the transition region changed from exponential to linear distribution gradually, together with the increase of dilution rate. With the increase of ultrasonic output power, the microhardness distribution of fusion zone also converted from an exponential to a linear distribution. Additionally, the friction and wear tests showed that the wear mechanism of coatings both with and without ultrasonic vibration was abrasive wear while the friction coefficients of coating with ultrasonic vibration were lower than that without ultrasonic vibration, which was related to the refined microstructures within the YSZ coatings.     

Tribological properties of YSZ and YSZ/Ni-YSZ nanocomposite coatings prepared by electron beam physical vapour deposition

Metal-ceramic nanocomposite coatings have been applied to many industrial applications owing to their remarkable properties such as wear, corrosion and high temperature oxidation resistance than that of metals and alloys in high temperature environments. In this study, YSZ and Ni-YSZ nanocomposite coatings deposited by electron beam physical vapour deposition (EBPVD) for high temperature environments have been investigated. Initially friction and wear behaviour of YSZ coatings deposited at various substrate temperature were studied. Then the effect on wear response of Ni-YSZ nanocomposites with different Ni content were investigated using a ball-on-disc micro tribometer. The structural and tribochemical changes that occurred in the wear tracks of YSZ and Ni-YSZ coatings were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results obtained on sliding wear and friction behaviour of these nanocomposite coatings suggest that 50 wt.% of Ni in YSZ nanocomposite provides good wear resistance behaviour than that of other coatings. Such an improvement in tribomechanical and wear performance of the nanocomposite coating could be attributed to the optimum amount of Ni which promotes the formation of NiO from Ni due to the frictional heat between nanocomposite coating and the sliding counter body in wear track as confirmed by Raman analysis.     

Effect of specimen orientation and heat treatment on electroless Ni-PTFE-MoS<Subscript>2</Subscript> composite coatings

In this study, the effects of simultaneous co-deposition of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and MoS₂ particles on tribological properties of electroless nickel (EN) coating were studied. The influences of specimen orientation and heat treatment on EN-PTFE-MoS₂ composite coatings were also investigated. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology of coatings and the distributions of the lubricant particles in the deposits. Chemical analyses of coatings were done by electron dispersive spectrometry. The phases of the coatings were identified by X-ray diffraction utilizing CuKα radiation. Wear and friction properties of the coatings were also determined by pin-on-disk wear tester. The wear investigations showed that the EN-PTFE-MoS₂ composite coating performs better than EN-PTFE and EN-MoS₂ coatings in terms of friction coefficient and wear resistance. PTFE and MoS₂ contents of the EN-PTFE-MoS₂ coating were increased by changing the specimen orientation from vertical to horizontal configuration, which leads to enhancement in tribological properties of the coating. After heat treatment, the wear rate of EN matrix composite coating decreased with corresponding change in phase structure.     

Exploring the influences of the counterpart materials on friction and wear behaviors of atmospheric plasma-sprayed YSZ coating

Sliding wear behaviors of atmospheric plasma-sprayed Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) coating mated with four metallic or ceramic counterparts (Si₃N₄, Al₂O₃, GCr15 and ZrO₂) were investigated. It has been found that YSZ coatings in contact with Si₃N₄ and GCr15 show better tribological performances than the other cases, which is due to the formation of the tribolayer mainly consisting of Si₃N₄ and Fe₂O₃ respectively on the worn surfaces. In the case of YSZ coating-Al₂O₃ and YSZ coating-ZrO₂ tribopairs, the wear debris are more irregular and larger in size, resulting in severe abrasive wear and brittle fracture of debris particles. In particular, the specific wear rate of YSZ coating sliding against GCr15 is negative due to the significant material transfer of the tribo-oxide layer, while that of YSZ coating sliding against ZrO₂ is the highest. Amorphization of the wear particles appears in the four cases due to the repeated mechanical action. It has been demonstrated that the wear of YSZ coating deteriorates with the increased flash temperature between the contact surfaces during rubbing process.     

Prepare SiTiOC ceramic coatings by laser pyrolysis of titanium organosilicon compound

A SiTiOC ceramic coating with outstanding tribological performance was prepared by laser scanning the organosilicon coating with different laser power. The composition and structure of the obtained SiTiOC ceramic coatings were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The tribological performance of the coatings was studied using a multi-functional reciprocating friction and wear tester. The results showed that the chemical structure (chemical bonding) of the coatings prepared at 0 W, 350 W, and 500 W laser powers included Si-O-Si, Si-C, and TiO₂, while that prepared at 800 W was mainly composed of amorphous SiO₂, indicating that the coating had higher ceramization. The SiTiOC ceramic coatings prepared by the present process effectively reduced the friction coefficient and wear volume of the steel substrate, which indicated that they had good anti-friction and wear resistance properties.     

硼化钽增强聚醚醚酮复合涂层的制备及性能评价

采用阴极电泳沉积技术在纯钛基板表面沉积聚醚醚酮（PEEK）/硼化钽（TaB₂）复合涂层。采用透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射仪和摩擦磨损试验机等方式对电泳沉积液分散性、PEEK/TaB₂复合涂层表面形貌、微观结构、结晶行为、摩擦学性能和生物学性能进行表征。结果表明，通过调节电泳沉积参数可以制备形貌均匀、具有一定厚度的PEEK/TaB₂复合涂层，在390 ℃热处理后，涂层均匀致密无孔隙；热处理可以提高PEEK/TaB₂涂层的结晶性能，TaB₂颗粒的加入使PEEK涂层获得更高的结晶度；添加较低含量的TaB₂颗粒时，复合涂层在小牛血清（fetal bovine serum，FBS）介质中表现出良好的摩擦学性能，与纯PEEK涂层相比，磨损率分别下降了48.1 %，69.1 %；但过量TaB₂颗粒在PEEK基质中出现明显的团聚现象， 摩擦系数和磨损率呈现上升趋势；细胞实验表明，TaB₂良好的生物活性促进了样品表面细胞增殖。     

Investigation of tribological properties of micro-arc oxidation ceramic coating on Mg alloy under dry sliding condition

To enhance wear resistance of Mg alloy, micro-arc oxidation (MAO) ceramic coatings on Mg substrate were prepared in silicate electrolyte under various currents. It was found that the surface roughness and thickness of MAO coating were increased with the increase of current. The dry tribological tests showed that the friction coefficient and wear resistance of thicker coatings (obtained under currents of 3?A and 4?A) were much higher than that of Mg alloy and the thin coating (obtained under current of 2?A), meanwhile the lifetime of the coating obtained under 4?A was longer than the other coatings under higher load. The wear type of thin MAO coating was slight abrasive wear under low load, whereas translated to severe adhesive wear under high load. While the main wear mechanism of thick MAO coating was slight abrasive wear or scratch under the given test condition, which was attributed to the thick intermediate layer improved load support for the soft substrate. The tribological study indicated that the MAO coating obtained under 4?A current had better wear resistance and life time due to its compact microstructure and thickness.     

Tribological Behaviour of Electroless Ni-P Deposits Under Elevated Temperature

Electroless Ni-P (EN) coatings have already proven their aptness for improving the tribological performance of the base material. This is possible due to their high hardness, good wear resistivity and corrosion resistance. However, the performance evaluation of the EN coatings under high temperature or the assessment of their thermal stability is yet to be conducted. The present work deals with the study of tribological characteristics viz. friction and wear of EN coatings at elevated temperatures (100 °C, 300 °C and 500 °C) by varying the tribological testing parameters viz. applied load and sliding velocity. A detailed study of the tribological behaviour of the coating is undertaken individually for the as-deposited and heat treated samples. The results obtained are compared among each other and also with that of the room temperature (RT) tests of the coating. It is found that the friction coefficient (COF) and wear rate of EN coatings mostly increases with increase in load for all the test temperatures. However, for variation in sliding velocity, both COF and wear rate show a reverse trend. The as-deposited samples show lesser wear rate particularly at high temperature, which may be because of the in situ heat treatment received during the test. The asdeposited coatings yield better results especially when the test temperature is kept above or near the phase transformation temperature of the coating. The surface morphology, composition of coatings and crystalline structure are studied with the help of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersed X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis respectively. The coating displays a nodular morphology and is amorphous in the as-deposited phase.With heat treatment, the coating turns crystalline. A mixed adhesive and abrasive wear mechanism is observed for the EN coatings tested at elevated temperature. Adhesive wear is accompanied by micro-cracks. Tribo-oxidation is confirmed from energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry.     

Effect of MoS2/PTFE coatings on performance of Si3N4/TiC ceramics in dry sliding against WC/Co

To enhance the tribological performance of Si₃N₄/TiC ceramics, MoS₂/PTFE composite coatings were deposited on the ceramic substrate through spraying method. The micrographs and basic properties of the MoS₂/PTFE coated samples were investigated. Dry sliding friction experiments against WC/Co ball were performed with the coated ceramics and traditional ones. These results showed that the composite coatings could significantly reduce the friction coefficient of ceramics, and protect the substrate from adhesion wear. The primary tribological mechanisms of the coated ceramics were abrasive wear, coating spalling and delamination, and the tribological property was transited from slight wear to serious wear with the increase of load because of the lower surface hardness and shear strength. The possible mechanisms for the effects of MoS₂/PTFE composite coatings on the friction performance of ceramics were discussed.     

Tribological application of carbon nanotubes in a metal-based composite coating and composites

Ni-P-carbon nanotube (CNT) composite coating and carbon nanotube/copper matrix composites were prepared by electroless plating and powder metallurgy techniques, respectively. The effects of CNTs on the tribological properties of these composites were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the Ni-P-CNT electroless composite coating exhibited higher wear resistance and lower friction coefficient than Ni-P-SiC and Ni-P-graphite composite coatings. After annealing at 673 K for 2 h, the wear resistance of the Ni-P-CNT composite coating was improved. Carbon nanotube/copper matrix composites revealed a lower wear rate and friction coefficient compared with pure copper, and their wear rates and friction coefficients showed a decreasing trend with increasing volume fraction of CNTs within the range from 0 to 12 vol.% due to the effects of the reinforcement and reduced friction of CNTs. The favorable effects of CNTs on the tribological properties are attributed to improved mechanical properties and unique topological structure of the hollow nanotubes.     

Effects of solid lubricant and laser surface texturing on tribological behaviors of atmospheric plasma sprayed Al2O3-ZrO2 composite coatings

Atmospheric plasma-sprayed (APS), low-friction Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ coatings were deposited with solid lubricants, and their effects on the laser surface texturing (LST) under a lubricated condition (commercial engine oil, 5W30) were evaluated. All specimens showed a 19.6% dimple density, and the contact angle of the APS coatings after LST processing decreased by ∼19–50%. The hydrophilicity of the APS coatings improved after LST processing, and the tribological behaviors of the APS coating containing different solid lubricants were mainly observed in the abrasive grooves, spalling, microcracks, residual pores and trapped wear debris on the worn surface. The coefficient of friction for the APS coatings was affected by the solid lubricants and the LST processing. The coefficient of friction for the APS coatings (except for h-BN) when adding solid lubricants and LST processing decreased to 3.7–7.9% and 2.3–9.5%, respectively.     

Strongly adherent Al2O3 coating on SS 316L: Optimization of plasma spray parameters and investigation of unique wear resistance behaviour under air and nitrogen environment

Plasma spray deposition of Al₂O₃ is a well-established technique for thick ceramic coatings on various substrates to shield them from corrosion and wear. Owing to its high hardness, aluminum oxide is known to protect stainless steel substrates from wear. However, the plasma process requires optimization for desired coating thickness and adhesion strength. It is also necessary to understand the sensitivity of friction and wear resistance of the deposited coating on exposed environment for evaluation of service life. The study offers comprehensive investigation on plasma process parameters for the development of strongly adherent aluminium oxide coatings on SS 316L substrate. Impact of environment like dry air and dry nitrogen on tribological properties of the coatings was also investigated. Dense adherent coatings of alumina could be deposited on SS 316L at a plasma power of 20 kW with an intermediate bond coat of NiCrAlY to enhance the adhesion properties. The effects of stand-off distance and bond coat thickness on adhesion strength were additionally examined. Further, the coatings were characterised for phase composition, microstructure, microhardness and wear resistance potential. Reciprocating wear tests of the coatings were carried out using ball on disc reciprocating tribometer at different loading conditions (5, 10 and 15 N) at constant (5 Hz) sliding frequency. Unlike the coefficient of friction (COF), wear volume was found to increase with an increase in normal load. These adherent coatings revealed promising properties for the applications where the tribological failure of SS 316L in dry air or dry nitrogen environment is to be controlled.     

Microstructural,mechanical and tribological properties of nanostructured YSZ coatings produced with different APS process parameters

Plasma sprayed ceramic coatings can be used in turbine engines as thermal barrier or abradable coatings, in order to improve the durability of the components as well as the efficiency. The presence of nanostructures, deriving from partial melting of agglomerated nanostructured particles, represents an interesting technological solution in order to improve their functional characteristics. In this work nanostructured yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings were deposited by air plasma spraying (APS). The influence of the main process parameters on their microstructural, mechanical and tribological properties was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), indentation techniques at micro- and nano-scale and wear tests, respectively. Their porous microstructure was composed of well melted overlapped splats and partially melted nanostructured areas. This bimodal microstructure led to a bimodal distribution of the mechanical properties. An increase of plasma power and spraying distance was able to produce denser coatings, with lower content of embedded nanostructures, which exhibited higher elastic modulus and hardness as well as lower wear rate.     

Ni-P-PTFE自润滑镀层的耐磨性能及其增强机理研究

采用化学复合镀技术将纳米聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)微粒沉积到化学镀Ni-P镀层中。扫描电镜(SEM)表明:镀层内PTFE微粒分散均匀,与Ni-P镀层结合紧密。摩擦磨损实验表明:在100N作用下,Ni-P-PTFE镀层的摩擦因数约为0.03,具有良好的摩擦学性能。热处理后的摩擦磨损实验表明:经热处理后,镀层仍具有较低的摩擦因数和良好的耐磨性能。