Deposition Efficiency Of Coatings Research Articles

Influence of process conditions in laser-assisted low-pressure cold spraying

A laser-assisted low-pressure cold spraying (LALPCS) is a one-step coating process in which the laser irradiation interacts simultaneously with the spraying spot on the substrate or deposited coating surface in order to improve coating properties. It is expected that the LALPCS could be an effective method to improve a low-pressure cold sprayed coating deposition efficiency and denseness. The purpose of the additional energy from the laser beam is to create denser and more adherent coatings, enhance deposition efficiency and increase the variety of coating materials. In this study copper and nickel powders with additions of alumina powder were laser-assisted low-pressure cold sprayed on carbon steel. Coatings were sprayed using air as process gas. A 6 kW continuous wave high power diode laser and a low-pressure cold spraying unit were used in the experiments. The influence of laser energy on coating microstructure, density and deposition efficiency was studied. The coatings were characterized by optical microscopy and SEM. The coating denseness was tested with open cell potential measurements. Results showed that laser irradiation improved the coating denseness and also enhanced deposition efficiency.

Correlation of Plasma Sprayed Coating Deposition Efficiency with Volume Flux Measurements by Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA)

The use of phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA) to characterize the detail in-flight plasma sprayed particle behavior has been demonstrated previously [Ma et al. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 24(1):85; 25(1):56] The present articles shows further that a direct relationship may exist between the PDA measured particle volume flux and the coating microstructure and deposition efficiency (DE). In the situation when the precise particle temperature information is not available, the PDA measured particle volume flux may provide an alternative to predict quantitatively the variation of the coating microstructure and the DE. By monitoring the in-flight particle volume flux variations, instead of the particle velocity, size and temperature individually and simultaneously, the optimal settings of the plasma spraying parameters may also be determined conveniently. However, it is noted that the effective applications of such approach depend largely on the particle surface morphology and the pre-determination of the particle size range.

A Proposed Process Control Chart for DC Plasma Spraying Process. Part II. Experimental Verification for Spraying Alumina

The role of particle injection velocity in influencing the nature of alumina coatings obtained by plasma spraying was studied. Previously reported process chart obtained by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study on the particle states of alumina with respect to particle injection velocity and size was verified experimentally. For this purpose, alumina particles of three different size ranges with a mean size of 25, 40, and 76 μm were subjected to different injection velocities. The coating obtained was analyzed for cross-sectional microstructure and thickness by optical microscopy. In addition, the role of particle injection velocity and size in influencing the coating-deposition efficiency was studied. The experimental results agreed well with the CFD results, which had indicated the dependence of particle trajectory in the plasma plume on the particle injection velocity and size leading to the changes in the extent of melting. While a higher coating thickness and deposition efficiency was obtained with 25-μm particles, with further increase in particle size, a reverse trend was observed. This was attributed to the changes in heat-transfer characteristics of the particles with size, which governed the coating buildup and deposition efficiency.