Abstract
The high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) combustion spray technique has been shown previously to be an excellent solution for depositing crystalline matrix nano-reinforced polymer coatings [1]. Dense polymer coatings can be produced by HVOF combustion spraying by controlling particle dwell time in the jet and through substrate thermal management. Use of an amorphous matrix material, polycarbonate, will enable the role of matrix crystallinity on the structure and properties of thermally sprayed polymer composite coatings to be separated from effects resulting from the reinforcing phase. An amorphous, commercial polycarbonate resin with a broad particle size distribution of irregular particle morphology has been successfully deposited. Results from optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scratch and density measurements are presented. The influence of variations in process parameters such as spray distance, nozzle length, chiller temperature, fuel: oxygen ratio, and total gas flow rate on coating microstructure are presented.
