Abstract
The deposition of cavitation-resistant materials coatings in turbine blades is an important way to reduce cavitation damage. Fe-Cr-Mn-Si is a cavitation-resistant steel with many deoxidation elements, which can be important for arc thermal spraying materials. The influence of air pressure, arc tension, and chemical composition on the microstructure, area fraction oxide, porosity, microhardness, and cavitation resistance were studied. Microstructures and properties were investigated by XRD, optical and electronic microscopy, microhardness testing, and ultrasonic cavitation testing per ASTM G32-93. Chromium addition promotes an increase in area fraction oxide, and reduces the porosity, changing the microhardness. An increase in air pressure raised the oxide fraction in the SMA_A and 2 alloys. The SMA_A mass loss rates were 31.8, 25.8, and 37.2 mg/h, respectively, for the samples with 280, 410, and 550 kPa of air pressure. For the SMA_3 samples, the increase in the arc voltage reduces the oxide fraction, changing the mass loss rate to 43.8, 32.4, and 29.4 mg/h for 25, 30, and 35 V, respectively. Phase transformations occurred in the arc thermal spray, for all coatings, during cavitation tests. The SEM analysis verified that the mass loss in arc thermal spray coatings occurred because of the oxide fracture and delamination of the splats.
