Abstract
In this study, two sizes of iron and stainless steel powders were binarily mixed into four groups with different weight percent fractions and the various mixtures and single-component powders were cold sprayed onto aluminum substrates. The deposition efficiencies (DE) of the powder mixtures and single-component powders were measured and are compared. The results show that the four binary mixtures exhibit different DE characteristics as a function of stainless steel wt% and that the small size mixtures have higher DE relative to the single-component iron powder. The difference is explained by particle-particle interactions (tamping and retention) that occur upon impact and only in the small size mixtures. The study also finds that changing spray parameters, such as feed rate, stand-off distance, gun travel speed, and gas temperature and pressure, has no effect on particle-particle interactions.
