Manufacture and Characterization of Particle Reinforced Aluminum Coatings

For reasons of the decrease in weight in the industry light cage design materials like aluminum alloys are frequently used. Because the wear resistance of aluminum alloys and/or aluminum generally is not sufficient, an increased wear resistance can be reached by means of particle reinforced aluminum coatings. The installation of ceramic reinforcing components (for example oxide particles) in the ductile metal matrix brings an essential improvement of the wear resistance particularly with regard to abrasion and short time fatigue wear. The results presented in the paper refer to research works concerning thermally sprayed Al - coatings with Al₂O₃- and SiC - particles as reinforcement components by vacuum plasma spraying.