Oxy-Acetylene Flame Thermal Spray of Al/SiCp Composites with High Fraction of Reinforcements

Aluminum matrix composites reinforced with more that 50 vol.% of SiC particles were fabricated using oxyacetylene thermal spraying. The sprayed material consisted of mixtures of aluminum powder with 60-85 vol.% of SiC particles. To favor the processing of the composite, in some cases, the SiC particles were coated with silica following a sol-gel route. This allowed obtaining as-sprayed samples with thickness above 2 mm and with porosity values below 2%. Post-processing of the samples by hot pressing allowed to reduce further the porosity of the composites and to enhance their microstructural homogeneity. The whole process of spraying and hot pressing has been optimized and the role played by the different spraying parameters and by time length and temperature of hot pressing has been also studied.     

Effects of SiC Volume Fraction and Particle Size on the Deposition Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Cold-Sprayed AZ91D/SiCp Composite Coatings

AZ91D/SiC_p composite coatings were fabricated on AZ31 magnesium alloy substrates using cold spraying. The effects of SiC volume fraction and particle size on the deposition behavior, microhardness, and bonding strength of coatings were studied. The mean sizes of SiC particles tested were 4, 14, and 27 μm. The results show that fine SiC particles (d _0.5 = 4 μm) are difficult to be deposited due to the bow shock effect. The volume fraction of SiC particles in composite coatings increases with the increasing SiC particle size. The microhardness and bonding strength of composite coatings also show increases compared with AZ91D coatings. The volume fractions of SiC particles in the original powder were set at 15, 30, 45, and 60 vol.%. The corresponding contents in composite coatings are increased to 19, 27, 37, and 51 vol.%, respectively. The microhardness of composite coatings also increases as the volume fraction of SiC particles increases.     

Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of Mg–Al alloys with thermal spray Al/SiCp composite coatings

The corrosion protection of Mg–Al alloys by flame thermal spraying of Al/SiC particles (SiCp) composite coatings was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The volume fraction of SiCp varied between 5 and 30%. The as-sprayed Al/SiCp composite coatings revealed a high number of microchannels, largely in the vicinity of the SiCp, that facilitated the penetration of the electrolyte and the subsequent galvanic corrosion of the magnesium substrates. The application of a cold-pressing post-treatment reduced the degree of porosity of the coatings and improved the bonding at the coating/substrate and Al/SiC interfaces. This resulted in improved corrosion resistance of the coated specimens. The effectiveness of the coatings slightly decreased with the addition of 5–30 vol.% SiCp compared with the unreinforced thermal spray aluminium coatings.     

冷喷涂SiC/Al纳米复合涂层的组织结构与性能

为制备基体相晶粒细小、增强相均匀分布的SiC/Al纳米复合涂层,以Al、SiC为原料,采用高能球磨法获得SiC颗粒弥散分布的纳米晶Al基复合材料粉末,利用冷喷涂技术低温成型制备了SiC/Al纳米复合涂层,分析了SiC含量对复合涂层相结构、晶粒尺寸、微观结构、硬度及磨损性能的影响规律。结果表明：冷喷涂可实现球磨纳米晶复合粉末结构的原位移植,所制备SiC/Al纳米复合涂层组织致密,微米及亚微米级SiC弥散分布在纳米晶Al（约80 nm）基体之上;SiC颗粒对Al基体有明显强化作用,冷喷涂SiC/Al纳米复合涂层的硬度随SiC体积分数的增加而显著增加,50% SiC/Al纳米复合涂层的硬度高达515 HV_0.3,约为Al块材的13倍;冷喷涂SiC/Al纳米复合涂层的耐磨损性能随着SiC含量增加而显著提高,涂层磨损失效机制为磨粒对基体的切削犁沟变形。     

Fabrication of Al6061 composite with high SiC particle loading by semi-solid powder processing

Aluminum alloys reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) particles have been studied extensively for their favorable properties in structural and thermal applications. However, there has been only limited research into investigating the loading limit of a reinforcement phase of a metal matrix composite. In this paper, semi-solid powder processing (SPP), a fabrication method that exploits the unique behavior of a solid–liquid mixture, was used to synthesize SiC particle-reinforced Al6061. A high volume loading (>45 vol.%) of SiC in Al6061 matrix was investigated by varying the SiC loading volume fraction, forming pressure, SiC particle size and Al6061 particle size. The compaction and synthesis mechanism of the composite by SPP was discussed based on reinforcement phase compaction behavior and processing parameters. Microstructure, hardness, fracture surface and X-ray diffraction results were also analyzed. Results showed that SPP can achieve over 50 vol.% loading of SiC in Al6061 matrix with near theoretical density.     

Effect of reinforcement size on the scratch resistance and crystallinity of HVOF sprayed nylon-11/ceramic composite coatings

The high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) combustion spraying of dry ball-milled nylon-11/ceramic composite powders is an effective, economical, and environmentally sound method for producing semicrystalline micron and nanoscale reinforced polymer coatings. Composite coatings reinforced with multiple scales of ceramic particulate material are expected to exhibit improved load transfer between the reinforcing phase and the matrix due to interactions between large and small ceramic particles. An important step in developing multiscale composite coatings and load transfer theory is determining the effect of reinforcement size on the distribution of the reinforcement and the properties of the composite coating. Composite feedstock powders were produced by dry ball-milling nylon-11 together with 7, 20, and 40 nm fumed silica particles, 50 and 150 nm fumed alumina particles, and 350 nm, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50 μm white calcined alumina at 10 vol.% overall ceramic phase loadings. The effectiveness of the ball-milling process as a function of reinforcement size was qualitatively evaluated by scanning electron microscopy+energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM+EDS) microanalysis and by characterizing the behavior of the powder during HVOF spraying. The microstructures of the sprayed coatings were characterized by optical microscopy, SEM, EDS, and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The reinforcement particles were found to be concentrated at the splat boundaries in the coatings, forming a series of interconnected lamellar sheets with good three-dimensional distribution. The scratch resistance of the coatings improved consistently and logarithmically as a function of decreasing reinforcement size and compared with those of HVOF sprayed pure nylon-11. 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.     

Characterizations of cold-sprayed Nickel-Alumina composite coating with relatively large Nickel-coated Alumina powder

Previous studies have shown that the fabrication of metal matrix composites (MMCs) by cold spraying is effective and promising. When light materials, such as SiC and Al₂O₃, were used as reinforcements, it was diffcuclt to obtain a high volume fraction of hard phase in the composite just through the simple powder mixture. Therefore, in this study, a Ni-coated Al₂O₃ powder, which was produced through hydrothermal hydrogen reduction method, was employed aiming at increasing the volume fraction of ceramic particles in the deposited composite coating. It was found that a dense Ni-Al₂O₃ composite coating could be deposited with the Ni-coated Al₂O₃ powder under the present spray conditions. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the composite coating had the same phase structures as the feedstock. The volume fraction of Al₂O₃ in the composite was about 29 ± 6 vol.%, which is less than that in the feedstock (nominal: 40-45 vol.%) due to the rebound of some Al₂O₃ particulates upon kinetic impacting. The microhardness of the composite coating was about 173 ± 33Hv_0.2.     

Effect of Tool Rotation Speed on Microstructure and Microhardness of Friction-Stir-Processed Cold-Sprayed SiCp/Al5056 Composite Coating

SiC-particle-reinforced Al5056-matrix composite coatings were deposited onto Al2024 substrates by cold spraying using a powder mixture having 15 vol.% SiC. To investigate the effects of friction stir processing (FSP) parameters on the microstructure and microhardness of the as-sprayed coating, the as-sprayed composite coating was then subjected to FSP using a stir tool having a threaded pin with rotation speed of 600 rpm and 1400 rpm. Results showed that the coatings presented Al and SiC phases before and after FSP treatment, and no other diffraction peaks were detected. Fine grains were produced in the Al5056 matrix due to severe plastic deformation during FSP, and the refined SiC particles exhibited a homogeneous distribution in the FSPed coating. In addition, an evident reduction of porosity (from 0.36% to 0.08% at 600 rpm or 0.09% at 1400 rpm) occurred, and a dramatic size reduction of the reinforcement from 12.5 µm to 6.5 µm at 600 rpm or 7.0 µm at 1400 rpm was achieved. Nevertheless, the microhardness profile presented general softening and a decrease from 143.9 HV to about 110 HV.     

Microstructure Characteristics of SiC Particle-Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites Coatings by Cold Spraying

A dense Al/SiCp composite coating with high volume fraction(60%)of nano SiCp reinforcement was fabricated by cold spraying of ball-milled Al-60SiCp composite powder.The morphologies evolution of the Al-60SiCp composite powder during ball milling and the microstructure and microhardness of the cold-sprayed Al-60SiCp composite coating were investigated.The results show that Al particles undergone fracture deformation and nano SiC particles are uniformly distributed in soft Al matrix after ball milling.A dense Al-60SiCp composite coating can be fabricated by cold spraying of ball milled composite powder.Nano SiC particles in the cold-sprayed Al-60SiCp composites coating exhibit a reasonably uniform distribution.The Hv0.5 microhardness of the Al-60SiCp composite coating is reached up to(5.30±0.53)GPa due to the enhancement of SiC particles,compared to(0.34±0.03)GPa for the pure Al bulk.     

Carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum composite coating via cold spraying

Multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced aluminum nanocomposite coatings were prepared using cold gas kinetic spraying. Spray drying was used to obtain a good dispersion of the nanotubes in micron-sized gas atomized Al-Si eutectic powders. Spray dried powders containing 5 wt.% CNT were blended with pure aluminum powder to give overall nominal CNT compositions of 0.5 wt.% and 1 wt.% respectively. Cold spraying resulted in coatings of the order of 500 μm in thickness. Fracture surfaces of deposits show that the nanotubes were uniformly distributed in the matrix. Nanotubes were shorter in length as they fractured due to impact and shearing between Al-Si particles and the Al matrix during the deposition process. Nanoindentation shows a distribution in the elastic modulus values from 40-229 GPa which is attributed to microstructural heterogeneity of the coatings that comprise the following: pure Al, Al-Si eutectic, porosity and CNTs.     

Influence of microstructure on the thermophysical properties of sintered SiC ceramics

The specific heat, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of porous SiC ceramics sintered using two kinds of SiC powders (fine and coarse) have been investigated for sintering temperatures in the range 1700–2000 °C. Sintered SiC has a porous structure with approximately 30–40 vol.% porosity. Thermal diffusivity was measured by the laser flash method. The thermal diffusivities and thermal conductivities of sintered SiC ceramics increased with increasing sintering temperature. The specific heat decreased slightly with increasing sintering temperature. The thermal diffusivities and thermal conductivities of SiC sintered from coarse powder were higher than those of SiC sintered from fine powder. The thermal conductivity of samples increased markedly with increasing grain size.     

Particle melting behavior during high-velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying

Particle melting behavior during high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying was investigated using Inconel 625 powders. The powder characteristics and coating properties were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray, and microhardness studies. Results indicated that the volume fraction of unmelted particles in the coatings was dependent on the proportion of powder within a specified size range, in these experiments, 30 to 50 μm. This particle size range was primarily determined by the particle temperature, which was measured during spraying. Particle temperature significantly decreased as particle size increased. The microhardness values for the coatings containing unmelted particles were predicted by a simple rule-of-mixtures equation for the case of a low volume fraction of unmelted particles. However, for the condition of high volume fraction of unmelted particles, the measured microhardness values did not compare favorably with the calculated values, probably due to the presence of porosity, which occurred in the form of voids found among unmelted particles. The microstructure and characteristics of the feedstock powder were retained in the corresponding coating under certain spray conditions.     

Characterizations of cold sprayed TiN particle reinforced Al2319 composite coating

In this study, a dense Al2319/TiN composite coating was successfully prepared using cold spraying with mechanically blended powders. TiN particles were uniformly dispersed in the coating matrix with a volume fraction of 38.7 vol.%, which is higher than that of 32.7 vol.% in the powder blend. Compared with the pure Al2319 coating, the Al2319/TiN composite coating exhibits a significantly increased adhesive strength. The incorporation of the TiN particles increases the coating hardness from 106 ± 7.8 to 154.5 ± 18.9 Hv_0.2. In addition, compared with the pure Al2319 coating, the composite coating exhibits a significantly improved tribological performance. The results obtained in this work indicated that cold spraying is a promising process to fabricate Al alloy-based composite coatings.     

Distribution of SiC particles in semisolid electromagnetic-mechanical stir-casting Al-SiC composite

The distribution of SiC particles in Al-SiC composite can greatly influence the mechanical performances of Al-SiC composite. To realize the homogeneous distribution of SiC particles in stir-casting Al-SiC composite, semisolid stir casting of Al-4.25 vol.%SiC composite was conducted using a special electromagneticmechanical stirring equipment made by our team, in which there are three uniformly-distributed blades with a horizontal tilt angle of 25 ° to mechanically raise the SiC particles by creating an upward movement of slurry under electromagnetic stirring. The microstructure of the as-cast Al-SiC composites was observed by Scanning Electron Mcroscopy(SEM). The volume fraction of SiC particles was measured by image analysis using the Quantimet 520 Image Processing and Analysis System. The tensile strength of the Al-4.25 vol.%SiC composites was measured by tensile testing. Results show that the Al-4.25 vol.%SiC composites with the homogeneous distrbutin of SiC particles can be obtained by the electromagnetic-mechanical stirring casting with the speed of 300 and 600 r·min-1 at 620 °C. The differences between the volume fraction of Si C particles at the top of ingot and that at the bottom are both ~0.04 vol.% with the stirring speed of 300 and 600 r·min-1, which are so small that the distribution of SiC particles can be seen as the homogeneous. The tensile strength of the Al matrix is enhanced by 51.2% due to the uniformly distributed SiC particles. The porosity of the composite mainly results from the solidification shrinkage of slurry and it is less than 0.04 vol.%.     

Fabrication and Wear Behavior of Nanostructured Plasma-Sprayed 6061Al-SiCp Composite Coating

6061Al powder with 15 wt.% SiC particulate (SiC_p) reinforcement was mechanically alloyed (MA) in a high-energy attrition mill. The MA powder was then plasma sprayed onto weathering steel (Cor-Ten A242) substrate using an atmospheric plasma spray process. Results of particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy show that the addition of SiC particles as the reinforcement influences on the matrix grain size and morphology. XRD studies revealed embedment of SiC_p in the MA-processed composite powder, and nanocrystals in the MA powder and the coating. Microstructural studies showed a uniform distribution of reinforced SiC particles in the coating. The porosity level in the coating was as low as 2% while the coating hardness was increased to 232VHN. The adhesion strength of the coatings was high and this was attributed to higher degree of diffusion at the interface. The wear rate in the coatings was evaluated using a pin-on-disk type tribometer and found to decrease by 50% compared to the 6061Al matrix coating. The wear mechanism in the coating was delamination and oxidative type.     

Corrosion of Magnesium-Aluminum Alloys with Al-11Si/SiC Thermal Spray Composite Coatings in Chloride Solution

Depositions of Al-11Si coatings reinforced with 5, 15, and 30 vol.% SiC particles (SiCp) were performed onto AZ31, AZ80, and AZ91D magnesium alloys. The influence of substrate composition and SiCp proportion on the anti-corrosion properties of composite coatings was evaluated using DC and AC electrochemical measurements in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at 22 °C. The as-sprayed coatings were permeable to the saline solution, and galvanic corrosion occurred at the substrate/coating interface after immersion in the saline solution for a few hours. The addition of SiCp yielded coatings with higher porosity and less effectiveness against corrosion. The application of a cold-pressing post-treatment produced denser coatings with reduced surface roughness, improved hardness, and superior corrosion resistance. However, galvanic corrosion was observed after several days of immersion because of penetration of the 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution through the remaining pores in the coatings.     

Influence of SiC Particles Distribution and Their Weight Percentage on 7075 Al Alloy

The stir casting method was used for fabrication of 7075 aluminum alloy with 10 wt.% SiC particles of size 20-40 μm. The research objective of this paper are to achieve uniform distribution of SiC particles in the 7075 aluminum alloy matrix, characterization, and analysis of mechanical properties of composite formed. Experiments were carried out at stirring speeds of 500, 650, 750 rpm, and stirring period of 10 min. Microstructures of aluminum alloy and composites with 5, 10 wt.% SiC reinforcements were examined. The results reveal that composite produced at stirring speed of 650 rpm and stirring time of 10 min has uniform distribution of SiC particles. XRD and EDAX analysis were carried out for 7075 Al alloy and composite with 10 wt.% SiC reinforcement. No adverse reaction was observed in XRD and EDAX of composite with 10 wt.% SiC reinforcement. Tensile strength and hardness increased by 12.74% and 10.48%, respectively, with the increase in percentage of SiC reinforcement from 5 to 15 wt.%.     

Oxidation Behavior of ZrO2 Reinforced MoSi2 Composite Coatings Fabricated by Vacuum Plasma Spraying Technology

In this work, MoSi₂, MoSi₂-20 vol.% ZrO₂, MoSi₂-40 vol.% ZrO₂ (denoted, respectively, as MZ0, MZ2, and MZ4) coatings were fabricated by vacuum plasma spraying technology. The oxidation behavior of the coatings was examined at 500, 1200, and 1500 °C, respectively. Some basic properties of the coatings, including microhardness, porosity, and surface roughness were characterized. The tests at 500 °C showed that the pest oxidation phenomenon of MoSi₂ coatings was restrained by the addition of ZrO₂. The MZ2 coating exhibited excellent oxidation-resistant behavior both at 1200 and 1500 °C. However, the MZ4 coating presented the impaired oxidation-resistant behavior at 1500 °C, though the comparable oxidation property at 1200 °C was still obtained.     

Corrosion behaviour of Mg/Al alloys with composite coatings

The corrosion behaviour of aluminium/silicon carbide (Al/SiC) composite coatings deposited by thermal spray on AZ31, AZ80 and AZ91D magnesium-aluminium alloys was investigated by electrochemical and gravimetric measurements in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at 22 °C. Corrosion products were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and low-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD). Al/SiC composite coatings in the as-sprayed state revealed high level of porosity with poor bonding at the Al/SiC and coating/substrate interfaces, which facilitated degradation of the magnesium substrates by a mechanism of galvanic corrosion. Cold-pressing post-treatment produced more compact coatings with improved corrosion performance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl compared with as-sprayed coatings.     

Plasma Sprayed Metal-Ceramic Coatings and Modification of Their Structure with Pulsed Electron Beam Irradiation

Composite powder obtained from mechanically crushed titanium carbide—metal binder cermet compacts deserves special mention for plasma spraying of wear-resistant coatings. However, cermet coatings sprayed using this powder have comparatively high porosity. The porosity causes the mechanical strength of the coating to largely deteriorate, and it also lowers the strength of the bond between the coating and the substrate. Computational and physical experiments were performed in this area to reveal the possibilities offered by pulsed electron beam irradiation for structural modification of 70 vol.%TiC-(Ni-Cr) powder coatings. The authors evaluated optimal values of process parameters for suitability in implementing a controlled thermal treatment of coatings under conditions of solid-liquid interaction of components in the cermet composition with each other and with the steel substrate. Evolution of the structure and physical properties of the cermet coatings under rapid heating and following cooling in a wide range of temperatures typical of pulsed irradiation conditions have been examined.