Abstract
In this study, three different types of Al2O3 coatings were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying. Some physical properties of these coatings were measured. Microstructure and wear morphologies of coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). The tribological behaviour of various coatings against stainless steel using a block-on-ring configuration were investigated in terms of the microstructure, physical properties especially the thermal diffusivity of coatings and the evaluation of tribological heat. Results revealed that the wear resistance of coatings used in this work showed a high dependence on their thermal diffusivity rather than other properties such as porosity, microhardness and bond strength: the higher the thermal diffusivity of a ceramic coating, the better is its wear resistance.
