Effect of Nozzle Geometry on the Microstructure and Properties of HVAF-Sprayed WC-10Co4Cr and Cr<Subscript>3</Subscript>C<Subscript>2</Subscript>-25NiCr Coatings

Thermally sprayed hard metal coatings are the industrial standard solution for numerous demanding applications to improve wear resistance. In the aim of improving coating quality by utilising finer particle size distributions, several approaches have been studied to control the spray temperature. The most viable solution is to use the modern high velocity air-fuel (HVAF) spray process, which has already proven to produce high-quality coatings with dense structures. In HVAF spray process, the particle heating and acceleration can be efficiently controlled by changing the nozzle geometry. In this study, fine WC-10Co4Cr and Cr₃C₂-25NiCr powders were sprayed with three nozzle geometries to investigate their effect on the particle temperature, velocity and coating microstructure. The study demonstrates that the particle melting and resulting carbide dissolution can be efficiently controlled by changing the nozzle geometry from cylindrical to convergent–divergent. Moreover, the average particle velocity was increased from 780 to over 900 m/s. The increase in particle velocity significantly improved the coating structure and density. Further evaluation was carried out to resolve the effect of particle in-flight parameters on coating structure and cavitation erosion resistance, which was significantly improved in the case of WC-10Co4Cr coatings with the increasing average particle velocity.     

超音速火焰喷涂WC-12Co、WC-10Co4Cr和Cr3C2-25NiCr涂层在不同介质中摩擦行为研究

为了研究硬面涂层在不同介质中的摩擦行为，以WC-12Co、WC-10Co4Cr和Cr3C2-25NiCr硬面材料为原料，采用超音速火焰喷涂制备得到了三种不同成分的硬面涂层。通过显微硬度计、摩擦磨损仪和扫描电镜等对涂层性能分析，结果表明，涂层中的孔隙率和粘结相的含量密切相关，当粘结相含量为12wt.%（Co）时，其孔隙度为1.11%；粘结相含量为14wt.%（CoCr）时，其孔隙度为0.98%；粘结相含量为25wt.%（NiCr）时，其孔隙度降低为0.92%。空气中，WC-10Co4Cr的硬度最高，其摩擦系数最小；Cr3C2-25NiCr的硬度最小，其摩擦系数最大。1mol/L HCl的环境中，NiCr的耐腐蚀性能最好，使Cr3C2-25NiCr涂层的摩擦系数稳定；而纯Co和CoCr的耐腐蚀性能较差，使WC-10Co4Cr和WC-12Co涂层的摩擦系数呈现出波浪状的变化规律。1mol/L NaOH的环境的摩擦过程中，硬质相的腐蚀会使涂层表面的硬度下降，使摩擦系数增加。     

Mechanical and microstructural properties of HVOF sprayed WC–Co and Cr3C2–NiCr coatings on the boiler tube steels using LPG as the fuel gas

The characteristics and the phase composition of high velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) sprayed WC–Co and Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings applied onto boiler tube steel substrates using liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as the fuel gas, have been evaluated. The coatings were examined using metallography, SEM/EDAX and XRD techniques. An attempt has been made to describe the transformations that take place during HVOF spraying. The purpose of this study was to compare the microstructure, porosity, surface roughness and microhardness of HVOF sprayed WC–Co, Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings deposited on boiler steels. The paper will also investigate if there is an application of the deposit in energy generation plants with a view to enhance the life of the component and reduce tube failures in such power plants.     

Microstructural characterization and abrasive wear performance of HVOF sprayed Cr3C2–NiCr coating

Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings were deposited by high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) process with different spray parameters to examine dominant microstructural factors in abrasive wear of the coatings. The microstructure of the HVOF sprayed Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The apparent average size and volume fraction of carbide particles in the coatings were estimated through a quantitative imaging analysis. The formation of carbide phases in the coating was discussed based on the TEM observation results. The abrasive wear behavior of the coating was evaluated by the dry rubber wheel abrasive wear test and the wear mechanisms were elucidated. Influences of apparent size and volume fraction of carbide particles on the abrasive wear weight loss were examined through correlating the proposed relation with the experimental results. Results showed that Cr₃C₂ particle size was significantly reduced after the spraying and Cr₇C₃ carbide was present around Cr₃C₂ particles, and Cr₂₃C₆ carbide was dispersed in NiCr alloy matrix with a nano-crystalline structure. The three carbides were formed in the coating through different mechanisms. The removal of carbide particles in the coating was mainly responsible for the abrasive wear of the coating. The content and particle size of the Cr₃C₂ carbides were the two key factors controlling the abrasive wear of the HVOF sprayed Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings.     

Scuffing resistance of plasma and HVOF sprayed WC12Co and Cr3C2-25(Ni20Cr) coatings

The objective of this study is to characterize the tribological properties of plasma and HVOF sprayed WC12 Co and Cr₃C₂ 25(Ni20Cr) coatings. The coefficient of friction and scuffing resistance of coatings were found using the tests of ball-on-disc and Falex routines. The chemical composition of coatings was characterized using energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) performed on the cross-sections of the coatings. The surface of deposits after measuring of friction coefficient was observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found out that the following properties of the coatings influence the scuffing process: (i) hardness; (ii) friction coefficient; (iii) method of spraying; and (iv) coatings' morphology. The WC12Co coating sprayed using HVOF method showed the best scuffing resistance and the most homogeneous structure.     

Microhardness variation in relation to carbide development in heat treated Cr3C2–NiCr thermal spray coatings

Cr₃C₂–NiCr thermal spray coatings have been extensively used to mitigate high temperature wear. During deposition compositional degradation occurs through dissolution of the carbide phase into the matrix. High temperature exposure leads to transformations in the microstructure, which influences the coating microhardness. While such developments have been investigated in short-term trials, no systematic long-term investigations of the microhardness variation as a function of microstructural development have been presented. In this work, high velocity sprayed Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings were heat treated at 900 °C for up to 60 days in air and argon. With treatment, matrix phase supersaturation was reduced, while widespread carbide nucleation and growth generated an expansive carbide skeletal network. An initial softening of the coatings occurred through matrix phase refinement, the subsequent hardness recovery was a function of carbide development. Treatment in air generated further hardness increases as a result of internal oxidation.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of HVOF sprayed nanocrystalline Cr3C2-25(Ni20Cr) coating

The objectives of this work are to deposit nanocrystalline Cr₃C₂-25(Ni20Cr) powder by thermal spraying and to compare the performance of this coating with that obtained using conventional powder. Towards that purpose, Cr₃C₂-25(Ni20Cr) powders with nanocrystalline grain size and with conventional grain size were deposited using OSU-SJS high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) system. The microstructural features, such as morphology of the coated surface, thickness of the coating, the interface of the coating with the substrate, distribution of various phases, and grain sizes etc, were characterized with the help of optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The amount of oxide phases and pores were determined by means of image analyzer. The presence of various phases was identified by x-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Hardness, elastic modulus, and indentation toughness were evaluated employing micro indentation technique. The results indicate the presence of three different zones containing only orthorhombic Cr₃C₂ phase, FCC NiCr phase, and mixture of Cr₃C₂ and NiCr phases in, both coatings. The grain sizes in the nanocrystalline coating were in the range of 80 to 100 nm. Nanocrystalline coating exhibits 20% increase in hardness, 40% decrease in surface roughness, and comparable fracture toughness and elastic modulus with respect to conventional coating.     

Properties of Cr3C2-NiCr cermet coating sprayed by high power plasma and high velocity oxy-fuel processes

The structure, hardness, and shear adhesion strength have been investigated for Cr₃C₂-NiCr cermet coatings sprayed onto a mild steel substrate by 200 kW high power plasma spraying (HPS) and high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) processes. Amorphous and supersaturated nickel phases form in both as-sprayed coatings. The hardness of the HVOF coating is higher than that of the HPS coating, because the HVOF coating contains more nonmelted Cr₃C₂ carbide particles. On heat treating at 873 K, the amorphous phase decomposes and the supersaturated nickel phase precipitates Cr₃C₂ carbides so that the hardness increases in the HPS coating. The hardness measured under a great load exhibits lower values compared with that measured with a small load because of cracks generated from the indentation. The ratio of the hardnesses measured with different loads can be regarded as an index indicating the coating ductility. The ductility of the HVOF coating is higher than that of the HPS coating. Adhesion strength of the HVOF coating was high compared with the HPS coating. The adhesion of the coatings is enhanced by heat treating at 1073 K, and that of the HVOF coating is over 350 MPa.     

Microstructure and Properties of HVOF-Sprayed WC-(W,Cr)<Subscript>2</Subscript>C-Ni Coatings

The composition WC-(W,Cr)₂C-Ni is one of the standard compositions used for the preparation of thermally sprayed coatings by high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying. Surprisingly, this composition has been poorly investigated in the past. Frequent use of commercial designations WC-‘CrC’-Ni, WC-Cr₃C₂-Ni, and WC-NiCr indicates the insufficient knowledge about the phase compositions of these powders and coatings. The properties of these coatings differ significantly from those of WC-Co and WC-CoCr coatings. In this paper, the results of different series of experiments conducted on HVOF-sprayed WC-(W,Cr)₂C-Ni coatings are compiled and their specific benefits pointed out. The focus of this study is on the analysis of the microstructures and phase compositions of the feedstock powders and coatings. Unlike WC-Co and Cr₃C₂-NiCr, WC-(W,Cr)₂C-Ni is not a simple binary hard phase—binder metal composite. The phase (W,Cr)₂C with unknown physical and mechanical properties appears as a second hard phase, which is inhomogeneously distributed in the feedstock powders and coatings. As examples of coating properties, the oxidation resistance and dry sliding wear properties are compared with those of WC-10%Co-4%Cr coatings.     

High-Temperature Exposure Studies of HVOF-Sprayed Cr<Subscript>3</Subscript>C<Subscript>2</Subscript>-25(NiCr)/(WC-Co) Coating

In this research, development of Cr₃C₂-25(NiCr) + 25%(WC-Co) composite coating was done and investigated. Cr₃C₂-25(NiCr) + 25%(WC-Co) composite powder [designated as HP2 powder] was prepared by mechanical mixing of [75Cr₃C₂-25(NiCr)] and [88WC-12Co] powders in the ratio of 75:25 by weight. The blended powders were used as feedstock to deposit composite coating on ASTM SA213-T22 substrate using High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) spray process. High-temperature oxidation/corrosion behavior of the bare and coated boiler steels was investigated at 700 °C for 50 cycles in air, as well as, in Na₂SO₄-82%Fe₂(SO₄)₃ molten salt environment in the laboratory. Erosion-corrosion behavior was investigated in the actual boiler environment at 700 ± 10 °C under cyclic conditions for 1500 h. The weight-change technique was used to establish the kinetics of oxidation/corrosion/erosion-corrosion. X-ray diffraction, field emission-scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM/EDS), and EDS elemental mapping techniques were used to analyze the exposed samples. The uncoated boiler steel suffered from a catastrophic degradation in the form of intense spalling of the scale in all the environments. The oxidation/corrosion/erosion-corrosion resistance of the HVOF-sprayed HP2 coating was found to be better in comparison with standalone Cr₃C₂-25(NiCr) coating. A simultaneous formation of protective phases might have contributed the best properties to the coating.     

Hot Corrosion Behavior of HVOF Sprayed Coatings on ASTM SA213-T11 Steel

Cr₃C₂-NiCr, NiCr, WC-Co and Stellite-6 alloy coatings were sprayed on ASTM SA213-T11 steel using the HVOF process. Liquid petroleum gas was used as the fuel gas. Hot corrosion studies were conducted on the uncoated as well as HVOF sprayed specimens after exposure to molten salt at 900 °C under cyclic conditions. The thermo-gravimetric technique was used to establish the kinetics of corrosion. XRD, SEM/EDAX and EPMA techniques were used to analyze the corrosion products. All these overlay coatings showed a better resistance to hot corrosion as compared to that of uncoated steel. NiCr Coating was found to be most protective followed by the Cr₃C₂-NiCr coating. WC-Co coating was least effective to protect the substrate steel. It is concluded that the formation of Cr₂O_3, NiO, NiCr₂O₄, and CoO in the coatings may contribute to the development of a better hot-corrosion resistance. The uncoated steel suffered corrosion in the form of intense spalling and peeling of the scale, which may be due to the formation of unprotective Fe₂O₃ oxide scale.     

Investigation of Properties and Wear Behavior of HVOF Sprayed TiC-Strengthened Fe Coatings

High-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) sprayed carbide based coatings (such as Cr₃C₂/NiCr) are industrially well established for wear protection applications. Due to their high carbide content of typically 75 wt.% and more, they provide very high hardness and excellent wear resistance. Unfortunately, costs for matrix materials such as nickel underlie strong fluctuations and are normally well above the prices for iron. Therefore an alternative concept to conventional carbides is based on TiC-strengthened low-cost Fe-base materials, which are already used for sintering processes. Depending on the carbon content, the Fe-base material can additionally offer a temperable matrix for enhanced wear behavior. The sprayability of TiC-strengthened Fe-powders with a gaseous and a liquid fuel driven HVOF system was investigated in this study. The resulting coatings were analyzed with respect to microstructure, hardness, and phase composition and compared with galvanic hard chrome, NiCrBSi, and Cr₃C₂/NiCr (80/20) coatings as well as with sintered Fe/TiC reference materials. Furthermore, the Fe/TiC coatings were heat treated to proof the retained temperability of the Fe matrix after thermal spray process. Tribometer tests (pin-on-disk tests) were conducted to determine wear properties.     

Erosion-resistance of plasma sprayed coatings

Cr₃C₂/NiCr, ZrO₂/NiCr, WTiC₂/NiCr, and X40 were plasma sprayed on the substrate 1Cr18Ni9Ti in order to solve the erosion wear at high temperature encountered in the oil-refining industry. A series of properties of the coatings, including their microstructure, hardness, and erosion-behavior, have been tested. The test results show that the properties of the coatings have a significant effect on their erosionresistant performance. Good erosion-resistant materials need to be hard and tough. Both Cr₃C₂/NiCr and X40 have good erosion resistance at elevated temperature.     

Influence of the Spray Angle on the Characteristics of Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed Hard Material Based Coatings

This paper presents an investigation of the influence of the spray angle on thermally sprayed coatings. Spray beads were manufactured with different spray angles between 90 and 20° by means of atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) on heat-treated mild steel (1.0503). WC-12Co and Cr₃C₂-10(Ni20Cr) powders were employed as feedstock materials. Every spray bead was characterized by a Gaussian fit. This opens the opportunity to analyze the influence of the spray angle on coating properties. Furthermore, metallographic studies of the surface roughness, porosity, hardness, and morphology were carried out and the deposition efficiency as well as the tensile strength was measured. The thermally sprayed coatings show a clear dependence on the spray angle. A decrease in spray angle changes the thickness, width, and form of the spray beads. The coatings become rougher and their quality decreases.     

Erosion Performance of HVOF-Sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr Coatings

Cr₃C₂-NiCr coatings were deposited by high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying process under spray conditions of different flows of oxygen and propane gases, and spray distances. The orthogonal regression experimental design method was used for systematic investigation of the influence of spray parameters on the erosion performance of Cr₃C₂-NiCr coatings. Erosion tests were performed at different jet angles of abrasive particles. The erosion mechanism of Cr₃C₂-NiCr coatings was examined through the surface morphology and cross-sectional microstructure of the eroded coatings. The correlations of the carbide particle size and carbide content with the erosion rate were examined. It was found that the erosion occurred dominantly by spalling of splats from the lamellar interfaces. The spalling resulted from the propagation of cracks parallel to the interfaces between the lamellae exposed to the surface and underlying coating. The carbide particle size and content in the coating influenced significantly the erosion performance of Cr₃C₂-NiCr coatings.     

Cr3C2-NiCr and WC-Ni thermal spray coatings as alternatives to hard chromium for erosion-corrosion resistance

Cr₃C₂-NiCr and WC-Ni coatings are widely used for wear applications at high and room temperature, respectively. Due to the high corrosion resistance of NiCr binder, Cr₃C₂-NiCr coatings are also used in corrosive environments. The application of WC-Ni coatings in corrosive media is not recommended due to the poor corrosion resistance of the (pure Ni) metallic matrix. It is well known that the addition of Cr to the metallic binder improves the corrosion properties. Erosion-corrosion performance of thermal spray coatings is widely influenced by ceramic phase composition, the size of ceramic particles and also the composition of the metallic binder. In the present work, two types of HVOF thermal spray coatings (Cr₃C₂-NiCr and WC-Ni) obtained with different spray conditions were studied and compared with conventional micro-cracked hard chromium coatings. Both as-sprayed and polished samples were tested under two erosion-corrosion conditions with different erosivity. Tungsten carbide coatings showed better performance under the most erosive condition, while chromium carbide coatings were superior under less erosive conditions. Some of the tungsten carbide coatings and hard chromium showed similar erosion-corrosion behaviour under more and less erosive conditions. The erosion-corrosion and electrochemical results showed that surface polishing improved the erosion-corrosion properties of the thermally sprayed coatings. The corrosion behaviour of the different coatings has been compared using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization curves. Total material loss due to erosion-corrosion was determined by weight loss measurements. An estimation of the corrosion contribution to the total weight loss was also given.     

The role of microstructure in the mechanism of high velocity erosion of Cr3C2-NiCr thermal spray coatings: Part 1 — As-sprayed coatings

Carbide based thermal spray coatings are routinely applied to mitigate erosion under industrial conditions. However, the mechanism of erosion response under aggressive high velocity impact conditions remains unclear. In this work Cr₃C₂-25%NiCr thermal spray coatings were eroded at an impact velocity of 150 m/s by 20-25 µm alumina grit. Coatings were deposited by High Velocity Air Fuel (HVAF) and High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray techniques to generate a range of coating quality spanning that applied industrially. In Part 1 of this two-part series, the mechanism of erosion as a function of coating composition and microstructure variation is discussed. The HVOF coating underwent significant in-flight dissolution of the carbide phase. The erosion response of the supersaturated NiCr matrix was characterised by brittle cracking and fracture. The HVAF coating retained a high carbide content with minimal phase dissolution. However, the rapid solidification of the matrix material made the coating prone to brittle interphase cracking during impact. On a larger scale, splat based erosion mechanisms played a significant role, especially in the HVOF coating. The mechanisms of impact response of these coatings were dependent upon the depth of erodent penetration and could not, therefore, be extrapolated from erosion testing at lower velocities.     

超音速火焰喷涂Cr3C2-NiCr涂层磨粒磨损行为

采用橡胶轮磨损实验机，对不同工艺条件下三种类型粉末制备的HOVF Cr3C2-25％NiCr涂层进行了磨粒磨损实验，发现该涂层的磨损失重量与磨程基本呈现线性关系，磨损率远低于低碳钢。氧气流量，燃气流量适中的条件下制备的涂层磨损率较低，用团聚致密化工艺制备的粉末沉积的涂层耐磨粒磨损性能较好，涂层的磨损机制主要为先期的粘结相优先切削和随后的碳化物剥落，其中碳化物的剥落对磨损过程起制约作用。     

The Influence of Spraying Angle on Properties of HVOF Sprayed Hardmetal Coatings

The spraying angle is one of the deposition parameters that influence the quality of thermally sprayed coatings. In theory, decreasing the spraying angle results in lower process deposition efficiency, whereas the porosity of coatings increases, becoming a cause of poorer microstructure and mechanical properties. In this study, the dependence of microstructure together with the basic mechanical properties and wear of WC-Co and Cr₃C₂-NiCr high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) sprayed coatings on the spraying angle was investigated. For each coating, the maximum spraying angle was determined that can be used without significantly decreasing coating quality. Based on the changes in properties of coatings and requirements for the process deposition efficiency, a maximum 30° diversion from the normal spray direction is recommended for WC-Co and 15° diversion for Cr₃C₂-NiCr coatings.     

Preparation and wear performance of NiCr/Cr3C2-NiCr/hBN plasma sprayed composite coating

NiCr clad hexagonal BN powder (NiCr/hBN) was added to NiCr/Cr₃C₂ feedstock to improve the tribological properties of chromium carbide nichrome coating. The microstructure, flowability and apparent density of the composite powder, as well as the structure and mechanical properties of the plasma sprayed coating were characterized. The friction and wear behavior of the NiCr/Cr₃C₂-NiCr/hBN coating from ambient temperature up to 800 °C was evaluated on a ball-on-disk wear tester and compared with that of NiCr/Cr₃C₂ coating and NiCr/Cr₃C₂-NiCr/BaF₂·CaF₂ coating. The results show that NiCr cladding can reduce the decarburization of Cr₃C₂ and oxidation of hBN during the thermal spray. The main wear mechanisms of the NiCr/Cr₃C₂-NiCr/hBN composite coating are ploughing and adhesive wear. Layered hexagonal BN particle reduce the direct contact and severe adhesion between friction pairs, thus decreasing the friction coefficient. The NiCr/Cr₃C₂-NiCr/hBN composite coating shows a promising application in the high temperature environment with the request of both wear resistance and friction reduction.