TiN-TiB2 composite coatings reactively produced by electrothermally exploded powder spray

Composite coatings composed of titanium nitride, TiN, and diboride, TiB₂, were reactively produced by the electrothermally exploded powder spray technique, in which feedstock powder was prepared from titanium and boron nitride particles. The microstructure of the coating was composed of titanium-ceramic particles the size of which were on the order of several nanometers to a few hundred nanometers. Such reactive thermal spraying brought base-metal saturation into a coating layer at the early stages of coating formation. The ceramic composite spray using feedstock of TiN and TiB₂ particles preferentially brought a new phase of cubic titanium boronitride together with TiN and TiB₂ into a coating. On comparing such a coating to one produced by the conventional method, the reactive thermal spray coating was richer in TiN and TiB₂ due to the excess nitrogen in the feedstock.     

Generation of a high-velocity jet in the electrothermal explosion of conductive ceramic powders

The electrothermal explosion spraying of conductive ceramic powders was characterized according to the electric and gas dynamic behavior of heated powders. Optical observation revealed the generation of the jetting with a leading velocity over 3 km/s. The velocity depended on the shape of the jet and the energy supplied to the powder. The heating process was related to the jetting process of the heated powders. The total electric energy supplied to the powder was two to three times the theoretical amount needed to melt the powder. Such electric energy was used for heating and accelerating the powder. This spray technique is characterized with the high-velocity jet consisting of high-pressure gas and molten ceramic particles.     

Base-metal saturation of refractory carbide coatings produced by enhanced ceramic jets in electrothermally exploded powder spray

Tungsten carbide and tantalum carbide were sprayed onto substrates of mild steel by the electrothermally exploded powder spray (ELTEPS) process. High-speed x-ray radiography revealed that tungsten-carbide jets of molten particles guided inside a nozzle exhibited denser flow than unguided jets at the substrate. The velocity of the jet was approximately 800 m/s at the early stage of jetting. The ceramic coatings obtained from the guided spray consisted of carbides of a few to tens of micrometers in size, which were saturated by the base metal up to the top of the coating. The coatings exhibited diffusion of the sprayed ceramics and base metal at the interface of the deposit and substrate. The enhancement of the jet flow formed a microstructure of the ceramic coating, which was saturated by the base metal even without post heat treatment.     

Zirconium boride and tantalum carbide coatings sprayed by electrothermal explosion of powders

Refractory zirconium diboride and tantalum monocarbide ceramic powders were sprayed using an electrothermal explosion caused by a high-voltage electric breakdown and large-current discharge heating. This spray technique was improved using a purpose-designed powder container, which made it possible to melt the powder completely and accelerate it to impinge on substrates. The electrical energy applied to the powder was estimated to be about twice the energy theoretically needed to melt just the powder. Although the ceramics used in this work are hard-sintered materials by nature, they could be sprayed and deposited to form coatings on metal substrates without additives and sintering agents. The coatings formed exhibited no chemical decomposition in the boride, and only small amounts of decarburization in the carbide due to its nonstoichiometry. The tantalum carbide coating mixed with iron and aluminum substrates in the range of 10 μm to several tens of micrometers.     

反应等离子喷涂TiC/Fe-Ni金属陶瓷复合涂层的显微组织

采用前驱体碳化复合技术制备Ti-Fe-Ni-C系粉末,并通过反应等离子喷涂技术（RPS）原位合成并沉积了TiC/Fe-Ni基金属陶瓷复合涂层。利用XRD、SEM和EDS研究复合粉末和涂层的成分、组织结构,考察复合粉末的TiC含量及复合粉末粒度对涂层组织结构的影响。结果表明：采用前驱体碳化复合技术制备的反应喷涂复合粉末粒度均匀、无有害相生成;TiC/Fe-Ni复合涂层由不同含量TiC颗粒分布于晶粒内部而形成的晶内型复合强化片层叠加而成,基体主要为（Fe、Ni）固溶体,TiC颗粒呈纳米级;涂层TiC含量较高时,纳米级TiC颗粒弥散分布更均匀;喷涂粉末粒度较大时,片层厚度较大,孔隙率较高。     

Sealing of thermal spray coatings by impregnation

Results from the sealing of porosity by impregnation show that below a certain wetting angle of the sealant, high penetration depths are achieved. However, only sealants with very low curing shrinkages can prevent the transport of electrolyte through the coating. Various sealant types and impregnation methods are discussed, and factors influencing impregnation and sealing ability of sealants are reviewed. Experimental results from the sealing of plasma-sprayed aluminum-oxide coatings are presented.     

The characteristics of a low-power-consumption plasma jet and ceramic coatings

The effects of the composition of plasma gases (Ar-N₂, Ar-H₂), arc current, and voltage on the temperature and velocity of a low-power (5 kW) plasma torch in the arc field free region has been investigated using an enthalpy probe. Coatings of Al₂O₃-13TiO₂ were deposited under different conditions. The results show that in the Ar-N₂ plasma, the enthalpy, temperature, and velocity change little with arc current and voltage when regulating the nitrogen proportion in the plasma gas. The hardness of the resulting coatings is 800 to 900 kg/mm² HV.300. For Ar-H₂ plasma, however, increases in the H₂ content in the mixture of the gases remarkably enhanced the velocity and heat transfer ability of the plasma jet, with the result that the coatings showed high hardness up to 1200 HV.     

Investigation of splat curling up in thermal spray coatings

The curling up of the edges of splats of molten metal deposited on a cold substrate was investigated both experimentally and numerically. An analytical model, based on mismatch of thermal expansion between the splat and substrate, was developed to calculate the deformation of splats after curling up. The curling-up angle was measured from both millimeter-sized splats of aluminum alloy and bismuth and plasma-sprayed nickel particles. The curling-up angles were predicted using both the analytical model and a numerical code and were found to agree reasonably well with experimental measurements. This article was originally published inBuilding on 100 Years of Success, Proceedings of the 2006 International Thermal Spray Conference (Seattle, WA), May 15–18, 2006, B.R. Marple, M.M. Hyland, Y.-Ch. Lau, R.S. Lima, and J.Voyer, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2006.     

Anisotropic thermal conductivities of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings in relation to the microstructure

Anisotropic thermal conductivities of the plasma-sprayed ceramic coating are explicitly expressed in terms of the microstructural parameters. The dominant features of the porous space are identified as strongly oblate (cracklike) pores that tend to be either parallel or normal to the substrate. The scatter in pore orientations is shown to have a pronounced effect on the effective conductivities. The established quantitative microstructure-property relations, if combined with the knowledge of the processing parameters-resulting microstructure connections, can be utilized for controlling the conductivities in the desired way.     

Salt spray corrosion test of micro-plasma oxidation ceramic coatings on Ti alloy

Ceramic coatings were prepared on Ti-6Al-4V alloy in NaAlO2 solution by micro-plasma oxidation (MPO). The salt spray teste of tne coated samples and the substrates were carried out in a salt spray test machine. The phase composition and surface morphology of the coatings were investigated by XRD and SEM. Severe corrosion occurred on the substrate surface, while there were no obvious corrosion phenomena on the coated samples. The coatings were composed of Al2TiO5 and a little α-Al2O3 and rutile TiO2, and the salt spray test did not change the composition of the coatings. The weight loss rate of the coatings decreased with increasing MPO time because of the increase in density and thickness of the coatings. The surface morphology of the coatings was influenced by salt spray corrosion test Among the coated samples, the coating prepared for 2 h has the best corrosion resistance under salt spray test.     

A new approach to online thickness measurement of thermal spray coatings

In the past 10 years, significant progress has been made in the field of advanced sensors for particle and spray plume characterization. However, there are very few commercially available technologies for the online characterization of the as-deposited coatings. In particular, coating thickness is one of the most important parameters to monitor and control. Current methods such as destructive tests or direct mechanical measurements can cause significant production downtime. This article presents a novel approach that enables online, real-time, and noncontact measurement of individual spray pass thickness during deposition. Micron-level resolution was achieved on various coatings and substrate materials. The precision has been shown to be independent of surface roughness or thermal expansion. Results obtained on typical high-velocity oxyfuel and plasma-sprayed coatings are presented. Finally, current fields of application, technical limitations, and future developments are discussed. This article was originally published inBuilding on 100 Years of Success: Proceedings of the 2006 International Thermal Spray Conference (Seattle, WA), May 15–18, 2006, B.R. Marple, M.M. Hyland, Y.-Ch. Lau, R.S. Lima, and J. Voyer, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2006.     

Surface roughness of thermal spray coatings made with off-normal spray angles

The formation of a thermal spray coating using an off-normal direction angle for the spray has been analyzed to identify the causes of the large surface roughness of the coating. In the analysis, the string method was used for modeling the formation of the coating. The method uses a string of equally spaced node points to define the shape of the coating surface and to track the change in this shape as the thermal spray mass is deposited. The method allows for the calculation of arbitrary shapes for the coating surface that may be very complex. The model simulates the stochastic deposition of a large number of thermal spray droplets. Experiments were carried out to obtain the data used in the model for the mass flux distribution on the target surface. The data show that when the thermal spray mass impinges on the target surface a large fraction of it, called overspray, splashes off the target and is redeposited with a small direction angle. This component of the deposited mass results in a large coating roughness.     

Effect of plasma spray operating conditions on plasma jet characteristics and coating properties

Using statistical design of experiments, the arc current, total gas flow rate, percent secondary gas (He), and powder feed rate have been varied to assess the torch behavior and establish its correlation to coating properties. The torch response includes arc voltage drop, torch efficiency, and plasma jet geometry. High-speed images of the luminous plasma jet for each operating condition have been acquired with a LaserStrobeℳ videocamera, and image analysis has been used to quantify the jet length and jet fluctuations as additional torch responses. Porosity and unmelted particles, which are determined using image analysis of a micrograph of a NiAl coating cross section, were selected as principal coating characteristics. These findings are expected to be useful for optimization of new spray processes and for evaluation of new torch designs.     

Production of titanium deposits by cold-gas dynamic spray: Numerical modeling and experimental characterization

Over the past five years, interest in cold-gas dynamics spraying (CGDS) has increased substantially. Considerable effort has been devoted to process development and optimization for such metals as copper and aluminium. This paper describes work undertaken to expand the understanding of the deposition of titanium by cold-spray methods. CGDS deposits have been produced from commercially pure titanium using room-temperature helium gas. The effect of different powder paticle size ranges, types of substrate, substrate preparation methods, and spray parameter conditions on powder deposition have been investigated. Microhardness testing of deposits was conducted, and their microstructures have been examined by scanning electron microscopy. Samples for pull-off bond-strength tests have been prepared from a number of the more promising sets of spray parameters and adhesive strengths determined. A one-dimensional numerical model of particle acceleration, employing isentropic gas flow behavior in the nozzle, has also been used to estimate particle exit velocities. This model explicitly addresses the dependence of the drag coefficient on gas compressibility and demonstrates its significance in terms of predicted particel velocities. By linking this model with the measured particle size distributions, estimates of particle velocity distributions at the nozzle exit plane have been computed. These allow an approximate value of the critical velocity for deposition of titanium to be made. Experimental observations on the microstructure and properties of the deposits are discussed in light of powder particle size and velocity distributions and the underlying physical and mechanical properties of the powders and substrates. The original version of this paper was published in the CD ROM Thermal Spray Commects: Explore Its Surfacing Potential, International Thermal Spray Conference, sponsored by DVS, ASM International, and HW International Institute of Welding, Basel, Switzerland, May 2–4, 2005, DVS-Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany.     

Sliding wear evaluation of hot isostatically pressed thermal spray ceramet coatings

The principal aim of this study was to compare the sliding wear performance of as-sprayed and Hot Isostatically Pressed (HIPed) thermal spray cermet (WC-12Co) coatings. Results indicate that HIPing technique can be successfully applied to post-treat thermal spray cermet coatings for improved sliding wear performance, not only in terms of coating wear, but also in terms of the total volume loss for test couples. WC-12Co coatings sprayed by a HVOF system were deposited on SUJ-2 bearing steel substrate and then encapsulated and HIPed at 850 °C for one hour. A high frequency reciprocating ball on plate rig was used to measure the sliding wear resistance of these coatings in dry conditions under steel and ceramic contact configurations at two different loads. Results are discussed in terms of coating microstructure, microhardness, fracture toughness and residual stress evaluations. Microstructural investigations indicate fundamental changes in grain morphology, whereas x-ray diffraction revealed beneficial transformations in phase composition of these coatings during the HIPing post treatment. The effects of these microstructural changes on the physical properties and wear resistance are discussed.     

Technical note: Plasma-sprayed ceramic thermal barrier coatings for smooth intermetallic alloys

A durable ceramic thermal barrier coating is applied directly to a smooth, highly oxidation resistant intermetallic alloy in two layers. The first layer of ceramic is applied by low pressure plasma spraying and the second layer is applied by conventional atmospheric pressure plasma spraying. This approach would allow the use of plasma sprayed ceramic coatings in applications where a metallic bond coat is not desirable.     

Modeling thermal conductivity of thermal spray coatings: comparing predictions to experiments

Thermal conductivity plays a critical role in the thermal transport of thermal-sprayed coatings. In this article, a combined image analysis and finite-element method approach is developed to assess thermal conductivity from high-resolution scanning electron microscopy images of the coating microstructure. Images are analyzed with a collection of image-processing algorithms to reveal the microscopic coating morphology. The processed digital image is used to generate a two-dimensional finite-element mesh in which pores, cracks, and the bulk coating material are identified. The effective thermal conductivity is then simulated using a commercial finite-element code. Results are presented for three coating material systems [yttriastabilized zirconia (YSZ), molybdenum, and NiAl], and the results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental values obtained using the laser flash method. The YSZ coatings are also annealed, and the analysis procedure was repeated to determine whether the technique can accurately assess changes in coating morphology. This article was originally published inBuilding on 100 Years of Success: Proceedings of the 2006 International Thermal Spray Conference (Seattle, WA), May 15–18, 2006, B.R. Marple, M.M. Hyland, Y.-Ch. Lau, R.S. Lima, and J. Voyer, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, 2006.     

直流电弧热喷涂等离子体偏离局域热力学平衡态分析

在大气压力下,利用直流电弧放电产生热喷涂等离子体,采用发射光谱和热焓探针对热等离子体的射流特性进行诊断。文中通过使用氩原子两条特征谱线的辐射强度,采用双谱线相对辐射强度比值法来计算等离子体的电子温度;同时使用焓探针测量等离子体射流的焓值来计算得到气体温度。研究不同氩气流量和电流强度下,热等离子体的气体温度与射流中电子温度的演变情况,并对两者温度差值出现的原因及变化情况进行分析。结果表明,相同条件下发射光谱法测量的电子温度始终高于焓探针测量的等离子体温度,热喷涂等离子体在一定程度上偏离局域热力学平衡态。     

Protecting the infrastructure with thermal spray coatings—Technical note

Thermal sprayed aluminum and zinc provide long-term (> 20 years to first maintenance) corrosion control coatings. However, this application is usually more expensive than painting or galvanizing if thermal spraying (metallizing) is not integrated into the design and fabrication phases of new construction and repair projects. Aluminum and zinc metallized coatings are tough enough to withstand fabrication, transportation, and assembly operations. The improved capabilities and productivity of metallizing equipment for aluminum and zinc spraying are a major factor in their current cost competitiveness. The net result is that the cost difference between metallizing, paint, and galvanizing is getting closer every day. Even though the initial application cost of metallizing may be higher, the life cycle cost (LCC) and average equivalent annual costs (AEAC) are lower than paint coating systems. Metallizing LCCs, when properly engineered into the construction schedule, are equal to or less than paint coating LCCs. This article summarizes some metallizing considerations for installing improved corrosion control coating systems in new construction and in maintenance and repair of infrastructure. Editor’s Note: The following constants have been used to convert between English and Metric dimensions: 1ft²-0.0929 m²; 1lb/ft²-4.89 kg/m²; 1 mil=0.025mm. Presented at the 5th National Thermal Spray Conference (NTSC-93), Infrastructure Maintenance and Repair Session, 10 June 1993, Anaheim, CA.     

基板温度对电热爆炸喷涂制备粘结层性能的影响

基板温度分别为室温、100和200 ℃时,采用电热爆炸喷涂技术在IC10合金表面制备NiCoCrAlY合金粘结层.利用扫描电镜(SEM)、能谱仪(EDS)和X射线衍射仪(XRD),对热循环前后的粘结层的组织形貌、化学成分及相进行分析.结果表明,基板温度对电热爆炸喷涂技术所制备NiCoCrAlY合金粘结层有明显的影响,随着基板温度的升高,所制备的粘结层与基体界面结合良好,表面粗糙度减小.在1050 ℃热循环后粘结层表面生成了Al2O3氧化层,起到了保护基体的作用.