Investigating load-dependent wear behavior and degradation mechanisms in Cr3C2–NiCr coatings deposited by HVAF and HVOF

Abstract

Wear resistant coatings that comply with non-toxic environment goals are highly desirable. Cr3C2–NiCr is a promising alternative to the toxic, ‘Co’- containing WC–Co coatings to mitigate wear. The purpose of this study was to examine the suitability of Cr3C2–NiCr coatings for automotive brake disc application by systematically investigating their dry sliding wear behavior at different test conditions. Therefore, High Velocity Air Fuel (HVAF) and High Velocity Oxy Fuel (HVOF) were employed to deposit Cr3C2–NiCr coatings. The powder feedstock and as-deposited Cr3C2–NiCr coatings were characterized for their microstructure and phase composition using SEM and XRD. Mechanical properties (hardness, fracture toughness), porosity and surface topography of the as-deposited coatings were evaluated. The coatings were subjected to sliding wear tests at different normal loads (5 N, 10 N and 15 N) using alumina ball as the counter surface. Coefficient of friction (CoF) evolution of HVAF and HVOF deposited coatings, along with their wear performance, was obtained for different normal load conditions. The wear performance ranking of HVAF and HVOF processed coatings was influenced by the test conditions, with HVAF coatings demonstrating better wear resistance than HVOF coatings at harsh test conditions and the HVOF coatings performing better under mild wear test conditions. Detailed post-wear analysis of worn coatings, the alumina ball counter-body and the resulting debris was performed to reveal the degradation mechanisms at different test conditions. Findings from this work provide new insights into the desirable microstructural features to mitigate wear, which can be further exploited to deposit wear-resistant coatings.