Abstract
Microstructural analysis has played, and continues to play, a key role in the development of thermally sprayed coatings. The advances in equipment and consumable technology for evaluating coatings have enabled laboratory personnel to accurately observe the coating characteristics in a cost effective manner and with great confidence. Microstructural analysis has been important in the development of new thermally sprayed coatings used for aerospace, automotive, electronic, bio-technology, petroleum and other high and low tech applications. The coatings that are being developed consist of a combination of materials that vary in hardness and general microstructural characteristics. Accurate microstructural analysis is more important than ever because these new, complex coatings cannot be produced successfully without control of the microstructure. Established metallographic techniques have not always been able to produce accurate results. A resin bonded diamond surface was developed which reduces the damage created during the grinding and lapping of a variety of coating types while maintaining the flatness and integrity of the overall coating microstructure.
