High Temperature Protective Performance of LT-HVOF Sprayed TiAl₃-Al Coating for Ti-6Al-4V Substrate

TiAl₃-Al composite coatings are believed to hold promise for extending the service temperature range of titanium alloys used as structural materials. In this study, 0.6 x 40 mm Ti-6Al-4V specimens are coated with a 30 μm thick layer of TiAl₃-Al by low-temperature HVOF spraying. Cross-sectional imaging shows that the as-sprayed coatings have a dense laminar microstructure and are well bonded to the substrate. Following the initial examination, the coating samples were placed in a muffle furnace, where they were held at 700 °C for up to 1000 h. Mass gain was detected starting at 200 h and remained nearly constant for the remainder of the test. This is an indication of excellent corrosion resistance, which is verified by SEM cross-sectioning and elemental EDS analysis. A brief explanation of the protective mechanism of the coating is provided.