High Velocity Oxygen Fuel Technique Research Articles

An Investigation into the Erosion Wear Behavior of Fe Inter-layered Ceramic Coatings on Boron Carbide Reinforced Al Alloy Composites by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel Technique

An Investigation into the Erosion Wear Behavior of Fe Inter-layered Ceramic Coatings on Boron Carbide Reinforced Al Alloy Composites by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel Technique

Improved tribological and electrochemical behavior of concentrated chromite coatings developed by HVOF and plasma spray techniques

Mineral coatings have the ability to tackle the most common degradation processes (wear and corrosion) in industries at amazing ‘quality to cost’ ratio, as compared to synthetic ceramics. In the current study, concentrated natural chromite with 55 wt.% Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) is deposited on steel substrate through High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) and Atmospheric plasma spray (APS) techniques. Effect of deposition processes and Cr2O3 enrichment on microstructure, hardness, tribological and electrochemical behavior of coatings is studied. Tribological tests were performed using pin-on-disc setup, coatings deposited with APS have shown excellent wear resistance behavior as compared to HVOF coating. Owing to the brittle nature of chromite coatings, they were worn by abrasive wear irrespective of the deposition process. Electrochemical behavior of coatings is evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5% NaCl solution. APS and HVOF coatings have exhibited very high protective efficiency of 93 and 88% respectively, against steel substrate. Equivalent electrical circuit (EEC) based on EIS results has also been conceptualized and verified with ZSimpWin analysis software. Established EEC has illustrated capacitive behavior due to the protective oxide nature of coatings. Despite having relatively higher porosities in APS coatings, they display an excellent potential for wear and corrosion resistant applications. Results revealed that hardness, compactness, tribological and corrosion performance of chromite coatings have been substantially improved due to higher Cr2O3 content.

Effect of HVOF processing parameters on [formula omitted] hard coatings deposited on AISI 4140 steel

High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coating is a deposition process that is widely employed at present to improve surfaces and the remanufacturing of components subject to severe wear, offering an alternative to reduce the cost of spare parts and used as a substitute for electro-chromium, also generating greater thickness than chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition. This study evaluates the influence of the projected application parameters for Cr3C2-20(Ni20Cr) coatings on AISI 4140 steel using the HVOF technique. To do so, a 24 factorial experimental design was used to evaluate the effect on the thickness, porosity, surface hardness, and microhardness in the cross-section, produced by four of the main operational factors in the HVOF process: the fuel/oxygen (F/O) ratio entering the combustion chamber, powder flow, the roughness of the substrate before deposition, and spray gun speed. The morphology of the Cr3C2-20(Ni20Cr) powders and the microstructure of the coatings were studied through a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy, while the composition were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. It was determined that: (i) the F/O ratio is the operation parameter with the most significant influence on the properties studied; (ii) the gun speed has a significant effect on the thickness generated and porosity; and (iii) the powder flow and roughness of the substrate have a greater effect on the surface hardness and microhardness. Finally, it was determined that coatings with great thickness, low porosity, and great hardness, ideal for the recovery of parts, can be achieved from a F/O ratio of 0.45 and a powder flow with the system feeder rotating at 12 rpm, applied to a substrate with a roughness of Ra=18μm, combined with a spray gun speed of 5 mm/s.

Phase transformations in WC-Cr3C2-Ni thermal spray coatings under low, medium and high thermal input: Part 1 – Feedstock and as-sprayed coating characterisation

Conventionally, bulk WC and Cr3C2-based carbide compositions have been used independently of each other. However, recent investigations have begun to explore combining these carbides together within the same composite/hard metal coating system. This work explored the diversity of phases produced in the coatings from a 42 wt% WC-42 wt% Cr3C2–16 wt% Ni powder sprayed under “low”, “medium” and “high” thermal input conditions using high velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF), an argon‑helium (ArHe) plasma and an argon‑hydrogen (ArH2) plasma respectively. During spraying, the Ni binder melted, leading to variations in the extent of carbide dissolution and peritectic decomposition as a function of thermal input. Low thermal input, typified by the HVOF technique, led to preferential dissolution/decomposition of the Cr3C2 grains into the melt, while retaining more of the higher melting point WC grains. The coating was dominated by a supersaturated Ni phase, along with the retained carbides. High thermal input, typified by the ArH2 plasma, was postulated to exceed the peritectic decomposition temperature of WC. The coating consisted of a supersaturated Ni alloy, along with the metastable phases WC1-X and β-W2C. No metastable Cr-carbides formed in any of the coatings. The mechanism of coating phase formation is discussed.

A comparative assessment on the characteristics of HVOF sprayed cermet coatings

ABSTRACT High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) process enables superior properties and is foreseen as a suitable candidate for deposition of hard chromium alternative coatings over the other surface hardening techniques like cladding/deposition through electrolysis/CVD methods, owing to the widespread adaptability and preference in aerospace industry, in particular landing gear mechanism and associated modules that operating in severe environments encountering abrasion, erosion, sliding and fretting wear. Cermet coatings are very often utilised to intensify the wear and corrosion resistance of a wide range of engineering components. The objective of this work is to develop thermally sprayable oxides, nitrides and carbides of WC and Cr3C2 cermet coatings on AISI 4340 steel by HVOF technique. The modified surface is characterised by SEM/EDAX study, followed by the evaluation of Porosity and Microhardness of the modified different speeds and loads. The study unveiled that of all the stated coatings, the blend of WC-Co-VC matrix yields superior hardness, Coefficient of friction and lower order of porosity. The observation forefronts the enhancement of wear properties in terms of surpassing wear resistance and declining trend in volume loss compared to other compositions.

Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Wear Behavior of High-Velocity Oxygen-Fuel (HVOF) Sprayed (Cr3C2-NiCr+Al) Composite Coating on Ductile Cast Iron

In the present work Cr3C2-NiCr powder containing Al particles was deposited on ductile cast iron with high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coating technique. An investigation was conducted to determine the role of Al particles in the Cr3C2-NiCr coating produced with HVOF technique on microstructure, mechanical and wear properties in a system Cr2C3-NiCr coating/ductile cast iron. The microstructure of the HVOF-sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr+Al coating was characterized by light microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Microstructure analysis reveals the formation of coating with low porosity, good adhesion to the substrate and dense structure with irregularly shaped particles of Al arranged in strips and finely fragmented Cr3C2 particles embedded in a nanocrystalline Ni-Cr alloy matrix. In addition, the results were discussed in reference to examination of bending strength considering cracking and delamination in the system of (Cr3C2-NiCr+Al)/ductile cast iron as well as microhardness and wear resistance of the coating. It was found that the addition of Al particles significantly increased resistance to cracking and wear behaviour in the studied system.

Comparative study on the corrosion and wear behavior of plasma-sprayed vs. high velocity oxygen fuel-sprayed Al8Si20BN ceramic coatings

Corrosion and wear are common problems encountered in the oil and gas industry. These entail the gradual destruction of materials by mechanical action on the opposite surface, and the chemical and/or electrochemical reaction with their environment. In this research, Al8Si20BN ceramic powder with specific properties against corrosion and wear was selected, and it was sprayed with high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and plasma spray methods onto carbon steel substrates. The coatings were characterized with respect to phase composition, microstructure, microhardness and adhesion strength. Their wear behavior was inspected by applying 5, 10, 15 and 20 N loads by pin-on-disc machine, after which the results of both methods were compared. According to the results, the HVOF-coated models were more durable than the plasma-coated models under different loads in the same condition. In addition, the corrosion deterioration of the coated specimens in both brine (3.5% NaCl) and fossil oil were tested for one month (30 days). Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) assessment in 3.5% NaCl solution indicated that the HVOF-sprayed specimens had better corrosion protection than the plasma-sprayed specimens. Generally, the HVOF technique facilitated more durable coats with greater corrosion and tribological resistance compared to the plasma coating technique.

Effects of Ambient Conditions on the Dielectric Properties of Thermally Sprayed Ceramic Coating

Thermal spraying techniques are used to manufacture insulating coatings especially for demanding applications like fuel cells where normal insulating materials cannot be used. In electrical insulation applications, the mostly used coating materials are aluminum oxide (Al2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO) and magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4). Dielectric properties of thermally sprayed ceramic coatings are strongly affected by ambient conditions, and in addition to this they are not well documented in the literature. In this paper the effects of environmental conditions on certain dielectric properties of a thermally sprayed coating are studied. DC resistivity as well as permittivity and losses at different frequencies at relative humidities of 20 % and 45 % at temperature of 20 °C, 40 °C and 60 °C will be reported in the paper for Al2O3 samples sprayed using HVOF (High Velocity Oxygen Fuel) technique. DC dielectric breakdown strength is also studied for the HVOF alumina coating at temperature of 20 °C and relative humidity of 20 %. Effects of ambient conditions and coating material composition are also analyzed.

Application of High-Velocity Oxygen-Fuel (HVOF) Spraying to the Fabrication of Yb-Silicate Environmental Barrier Coatings

From the literature, it is known that due to their glass formation tendency, it is not possible to deposit fully-crystalline silicate coatings when the conventional atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) process is employed. In APS, rapid quenching of the sprayed material on the substrate facilitates the amorphous deposit formation, which shrinks when exposed to heat and forms pores and/or cracks. This paper explores the feasibility of using a high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) process for the cost-effective fabrication of dense, stoichiometric, and crystalline Yb2Si2O7 environmental barrier coatings. We report our findings on the HVOF process optimization and its resultant influence on the microstructure development and crystallinity of the Yb2Si2O7 coatings. The results reveal that partially crystalline, dense, and vertical crack-free EBCs can be produced by the HVOF technique. However, the furnace thermal cycling results revealed that the bonding of the Yb2Si2O7 layer to the Silicon bond coat needs to be improved.

Role of internal oxidation on the failure of air plasma sprayed thermal barrier coatings with a double-layered bond coat

Failure of air plasma sprayed (APS) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with a double-layered bond coat was investigated. The bond coat consists of a dense layer near the substrate side and a porous layer on the surface. Both were made of NiCoCrAlY alloy and deposited using high velocity oxygen-fuel technique. After thermal cycling, a large amount of internal oxides formed (up to 45% in volume fraction), introducing a significant volume expansion both in in-plane and perpendicular direction in the bond coat. However, the presence of the ceramic top coat can suppress the bond coat in-plane swelling thus lowering the internal oxidation rate. Compared with the fully dense bond coat, the interface roughness of the porous bond coat increases significantly when internal oxidation occurs. There is a strong correlation between the internal oxidation and the interface roughness. In addition, both the beneficial and detrimental effects of internal oxidation on TBC failure were discussed. It is proposed that a fully dense bond coat with a proper surface roughness should have a longer thermal cycling lifetime.

Influence of Fracture Toughness and Microhardness on the Erosive Wear of Cermet Coatings Deposited by Thermal Spray

An evaluation of the relationship between the microhardness and fracture toughness with resistance to erosive wear of WC10Co4Cr, WC-12Co, and Cr3C2-25NiCr coatings was conducted. Powder and flexible cored wire feedstock materials were applied by high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and flame spray (FS), respectively. The erosive wear mechanism prevailing in the coatings was found to be brittle, which also explains the higher erosion rate for the experimental condition using the particle impact angle of 90 deg and impact velocity of 9.33 m/s. The best wear performance was for the coatings applied by HVOF that attains 1.83 mm3/kg for the 90 deg/3.61 m/s test condition. The coating obtained with the WC-10Co4Cr material using the FSFC method showed tungsten carbide decarburization, justifying its poor mechanical properties and poor performance in the erosive wear test. Flame-sprayed flexicords proved to be a promising alternative to HVOF in obtaining coatings with low porosity and acceptable mechanical properties, especially in applications where the use of the HVOF technique is inadequate because of inaccessibility or excessively high cost. Values of K c for the coatings obtained by HVOF (7.35 to 10.83 MPa.m1/2) were between two and three times greater than the values obtained for the coatings resulting from FSFC (2.39 to 3.59 MPa.m1/2), in a similar manner as with the microhardness.

Microstructure Modification of CGDS and HVOF Sprayed CoNiCrAlY Bond Coat Remelted by Electron Beam

In the present work two techniques are combined to optimize bond coat properties before thermal barrier coating (TBC) application, the cold gas dynamic spraying (CGDS) and electron beam remelting (EB). Results of the work focused on comparison of high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and CGDS CoNiCrAlY bond coats are firstly presented. Than the effect of the electron beam remelting of the CoNiCrAlY coating manufactured by HVOF and CGDS deposition techniques is deeply investigated. The CoNiCrAlY bond coat to Inconel substrate interface displayed locations with very poor bonding, in larger extent for the states prepared by HVOF comparing to CGDS. The bond coats prepared by both ways being EB remelted are typically removal of the defects on the substrate to bond coat interface. The microstructure of the bond coat after this treatment is formed by Inconel fine grain layer being followed by the surface layer consisting of elongated dendritic microstructure. An increased porosity has been observed in interdendritical space in larger extent for CGDS samples.

High temperature oxidation of MCrAlY coatings modified by Al2O3 PVD overlay

In this study the high temperature oxidation behavior of NiCoCrAlTaY coatings modified by a PVD (physical vapor deposition) surface treatment was evaluated: the coatings, produced by HVOF (high velocity oxygen fuel) technique, were protected by an Al2O3 PVD sputtered overlay prior to top coating with an YSZ ceramic layer, and were exposed in air at 1100°C up to 400h.The oxidation kinetics were evaluated by measuring the thickness of the TGO (thermally grown oxide) scale at several exposure times and the microstructural evolution induced by the heat treatments was investigated. The effect of the presence of the Al2O3 PVD overlay, in terms of microstructure and oxidation resistance, was assessed by comparing the performance of modified TBCs with unprotected NiCoCrAlTaY systems. Experimental evidence was gathered showing that the presence of an Al2O3 PVD overlay enhances the oxidation resistance of NiCoCrAlTaY coatings and promotes the adhesion between bond and top coat.A thermo-mechanical finite element model of the modified TBC system was also developed: the growth of the oxide scale was modeled and the previously assessed oxidation kinetics were implemented in order to estimate the effects of the PVD film on the mechanical stress field of the TBC system.

A Comparative Study of the Microabrasion Wear Behavior of CoNiCrAlY Coatings Fabricated by APS, HVOF, and CGDS Techniques

The current study focuses on the microabrasion wear and microstructural properties of CoNiCrAlY coatings fabricated on nickel-based superalloy substrates using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), and cold gas dynamic spraying (CGDS) methods. The microabrasion tests were performed on the samples for different durations in order to understand the wear mechanism of thermally sprayed coatings and influence of the coating microstructure on the wear mechanism. The microstructures of as-sprayed coatings and wear mechanisms on the worn coatings were investigated. Initial surface topography was examined using a surface profilometer. Coating hardness measurements were performed with a microhardness tester. The lateral fracture was observed as the wear mechanism on the samples. The wear resistance of the coatings has changed with the surface features of the samples depending on the coating production process.

Isothermal oxidation resistance comparison between air plasma sprayed, vacuum plasma sprayed and high velocity oxygen fuel sprayed CoNiCrAlY bond coats

Commercial CoNiCrAlY powders with the same chemical composition were sprayed by vacuum plasma spraying (VPS), air plasma spraying (APS) and high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) onto Hastelloy X superalloy substrates obtaining coatings of comparable thickness. After coating, samples were maintained at 1273 K in air for different periods up to 3000 h. Morphological, microstructural and compositional analyses were performed in order to assess the high temperature oxidation resistance provided by the different spraying systems. HVOF technique provided bond coats with higher oxidation resistance compared to APS and VPS.

Microstructural, thermal and mechanical properties of HVOF sprayed Ni–Al-based bond coatings on stainless steel substrate

This work focuses on the microstructural, thermal and mechanical properties of NiAl coatings fabricated on 316 L stainless steel substrates by using the high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) method. With this regard, NiAl-based coatings were fabricated on 316 L stainless steel substrates by using HVOF technique. The produced coatings were extensively analyzed with respect to X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscope (OM), image analyzer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), microhardness and surface roughness testers. Adhesion strength of the coatings was also measured by using a scratch tester. The effect of thermal cycling on the failure behaviour of the Ni–Al-based coating has been carried out without an external load at temperatures between 47 °C and 600 °C for the period of 303 s cycles. XRD study revealed that Ni 3Al phase is present in the coatings. The metallographic observations showed that all coatings had a similar coating microstructure and consisted of high-quality contact to the substrate, highly dense structure, low oxide and porosity contents. In addition to microstructural results, microhardness values of Ni–Al-based coatings and stainless steel were measured to be 450 HV and 220 HV before thermal cycling. These microhardness values drastically decreased after thermal cyclic tests. The adhesion strength value of Ni–Al-based coating was found that 85.3 MPa. In order to determine wear loss, friction coefficient and wear mechanism, wear tests were performed the Ni–Al-coated stainless steel substrates at 49 N and 89 N under dry sliding conditions through a pin-on-plate arrangement against AISI 303 L steel counter body. Regarding as wear mechanism of the coatings, the microstructural analysis of worn surfaces was examined by SEM. It was found that the friction coefficients of NiAl coating for 49 N and 89 N loads were in the range of 0.289 and 0.329 and the extent of the plastic deformation at 49 N was less than that at 89 N under dry sliding conditions. Mechanical properties of coating were examined by Shimadzu Dynamic Ultra-microhardness test machine for estimating Young's modulus due to load–unload sensing analysis and in addition to mechanical investigation of hardness–depth curves of Ni–Al-based coatings was obtained.

Comparison between Tribological Characteristics of Al-Cu-Fe-B Quasicrystalline and Mo Coatings

Al-Cu-Fe-B quasicrystalline and Mo coatings were obtained on the mild steel and brass substrates by thermal spraying routes for the purpose of replacement of Mo coatings with quasicrystalline ones. Quasicrystalline coatings were prepared by air plasma spraying and/or HVOF (High Velocity Oxygen Fuel) techniques followed by subsequent heat treatment, and Mo coatings, wire flame spraying. For comparative studies of important properties for industrial application, mechanical properties, bonding strength, surface energy, and tribological behavior were investigated based on microstructural characterization. Basic mechanical properties such as hardness, fracture toughness, and elastic modulus of quasicrystalline coating showed comparable values with those of Mo coatings. De-bonding tests of coatings deposited onto brass substrate indicated that the bonding strength of quasicrystalline coatings obtained by HVOF techniques exhibit higher value to Mo coatings. Non-sticking property analogized from surface energy calculation and friction coefficient of quasicrystalline coatings also showed better performance during the tests. It is suggested from this investigation that the quasicrystalline coating can be effectively used as a replacement of the Mo coating, which has shown a recent steep price rise and problems of accidental existence of minor environment harmful elements such as Cr6+, Pb, Cd, and Hg.

Friction Behavior of High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) Thermal Spray Coating Layer of Nano WC-Co Powder

High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coating of nano size WC-Co powder (nWC-Co) has been studied as one of the most promising candidate for the possible replacement of the traditional hard plating in some area which causes environmental and health problems. nWC-Co powder was coated on Inconel 718 substrates by HVOF technique. The optimal coating process obtained from the best surface properties such as hardness and porosity is the process of oxygen flow rate (FR) 38 FMR, hydrogen FR 57 FMR and feed rate 35 g/min at spray distance 6 inch for both surface temperature <TEX>$25^{\circ}C\;and\;500^{\circ}C$</TEX>. In coating process a small portion of hard WC decomposes to less hard <TEX>$W_2C$</TEX>, W and C at the temperature higher than its decomposition temperature <TEX>$1,250^{\circ}C$</TEX> resulting in hardness decrease and porosity increase. Friction coefficient increases with increasing coating surface temperature from 0.55-0.64 at <TEX>$25^{\circ}C$</TEX> to 0.65-0.76 at <TEX>$500^{\circ}C$</TEX> due to the increase of adhesion between coating and counter sliding surface. Hardness of nWC-Co is higher or comparable to those of other hard coatings, such as <TEX>$Al_2O_3,\;Cr,\;Cr_2O_3$</TEX> and HVOF Tribaloy 400 (T400). This shows that nWC-Co is recommendable for durability improvement coating on machine components such as high speed spindle.

Adhesion improvements of Thermal Barrier Coatings with HVOF thermally sprayed bond coats

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC) are an effective engineering solution for the improvement of in service performance of gas turbines and diesel engine components. The quality and further performance of TBC, likewise all thermally sprayed coatings or any other kind of coating, is strongly dependent on the adhesion between the coating and the substrate as well as the adhesion (or cohesion) between the metallic bond coat and the ceramic top coat layer. The debonding of the ceramic layer or of the bond coat layer will lead to the collapse of the overall thermal barrier system. Though several possible problems can occur in coating application as residual stresses, local or net defects (like pores and cracks), one could say that a satisfactory adhesion is the first and intrinsic need for a good coating. The coating adhesion is also dependent on the pair substrate-coating materials, substrate cleaning and blasting, coating application process, coating application parameters and environmental conditions. In this work, the general characteristics and adhesion properties of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) having bond coats applied using High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying and plasma sprayed ceramic top coats are studied. By using HVOF technique to apply the bond coats, high adherence and high corrosion resistance are expected. Furthermore, due to the characteristics of the spraying process, compressive stresses should be induced to the substrate. The compressive stresses are opposed to the tensile stresses that are typical of coatings applied by plasma spraying and eventually cause delamination of the coating in operational conditions. The evaluation of properties includes the studies of morphology, microstructure, microhardness and adhesive/cohesive resistance. From the obtained results it can be said that the main failure location is in the bond coat/ceramic interface corresponding to the lowest adhesion values.

Electrochemical Corrosion of Cermet Coatings in Artificial Marine Water

The electrochemical corrosion of different WC+12Co coatings sprayed on 34CrMo4 (UNS-G41350) steel by the High Velocity Oxygen Fuel technique has been studied by corrosion potential and impedance measurements considering previous SEM observations and EDX microanalysis. The experiments were conducted in artificial marine water at 20°C and the impedance spectra were obtained at the corresponding corrosion potentials for the substrate, coating and substrate-coating systems. The impedance diagrams indicated that the electrochemical corrosion of the steel-coating systems is controlled by oxygen diffusion through a porous film of corrosion products. as in the case of the shot-blasted steel. In contrast, the corrosion of the coating appeared to be controlled by diffusion of oxygen through the electrolyte. The impedance diagrams obtained for the steel-coating systems de pended on the porosites of the cermet coatings, thus being an useful procedure to characterize metals coated by cermets.