The Influence of Powder Particle Velocity and Microstructure on the Properties of Cold Sprayed Copper Coatings

No literature exists on the influence of the velocity of Cu powder particles (during cold spraying) on the properties of the coatings like porosity, hardness, electrical conductivity, residual stress, and microstructure. Similarly, though the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization in the Cu powder particle during its deformation under the cold sprayed process has been well documented, its influence on the properties of the coating has not been studied. In this study, it is shown that while porosity of the coating is determined directly by the powder particle velocity, the other properties like hardness, electrical conductivity, and residual stress are determined not only by the particle velocity which depends on stagnation pressure and preheating temperature of the air (process gas) but also additionally on preheating temperature of air per se. The extent of powder particle fragmentation and dynamic recrystallization as a function of particle velocity has been quantified in terms of the grain boundary area fraction and the influence of the latter parameter on the coating properties has also been presented.