Tribological Behavior of Aluminum Slurry Coating on 300M Steel

Abstract

Al slurry coatings, an alternative of Cd coating to protect against corrosion in the aerospace industry, are currently being explored to satisfy the stringent technology and safety requirements for aeronautical applications. The results of salt fog corrosion exposure, fluid corrosion exposure (immersion), humidity resistance, electrical conductivity, galvanic corrosion, embrittlement, and fatigue indicate that Al slurry coatings can be used as an alternative of Cd coatings. However, the tribological property of Al slurry coatings has still not been investigated. Two types of aluminum slurry coatings on 300M steel were produced using the innovative technological process and characterized by scanning electron microscope, nanoindentation tests, and adhesion tests. The H/E and H 3/E 2 ratios of the two-layer Al slurry-coated sample were almost four times higher than the Cd-Ti plating-coated sample. The dry wear test results show that the friction coefficient of the two-layer Al slurry coating independently from the load was lower than the Cd-Ti plating. The width of the wear track of the two-layer Al slurry coating was significantly narrower, only 62% of the Cd-Ti plating wear scar. Compared to the Cd-Ti plating, an excellent wear resistance of the two-layer Al slurry coating can be attributed to its high resistance to plastic deformation and good load-bearing capacity. The results indicate that the two-layer Al slurry coating is an excellent alternative to Cd coatings in the aerospace industry.