Abstract Experimental measurements have been carried out with the aim of investigating the residual stresses generated during plasma spray deposition of glass composite coatings. The research shows that the behaviour of these materials is fundamentally different from metals and ceramics. The quench stress in the glass composites can be eliminated by plasma-scanning. This is attributed to their low glass transition temperatures, which enable the stresses to be completely relaxed. The work also shows that the addition of alumina as a second phase allows the expansion mismatch between the coating and the steel substrate to be controlled. Control of the second-phase volume-fraction enables the residual stress in the composite coatings to be reduced to zero. Real-time measurements on deflection and temperature show that the dimensions of the substrate, plasma operating conditions and scanning rate have substantial effects on the temperature profiles within the deposits. Keywords: glass composite coatings, thermal stress, plasma spraying.

Abstract A ball-milled mixture of glass and alumina powders has been plasma sprayed to produce alumina-glass composite coatings. The coatings have the unique advantage of a melted ceramic secondary phase parallel to the surface in an aligned platelet composite structure. The alumina raises the hardness from 300HV for pure glass coatings to 900HV for a 60wt% alumina-glass composite coating. The scratch resistance increases by a factor of three and the wear resistance by a factor of five. The glass wears by the formation and intersection of cracks. The alumina wears by fine abrasion and supports most of the sliding load. The wear resistance reached a plateau at 40-50vol% alumina, which corresponds to the changeover from a glass to a ceramic matrix. Keywords: glass composite coatings, wear, thermal spraying

Abstract Kinetic and heat transfer analysis have been undertaken in order to predict the decomposition of polymer feedstock particles during thermal spraying. Thermogravimetric measurements indicated that the decomposition of PMMA had an order of reaction of unity and an activation energy of 135 kJ mol -1 . The polymer decomposition temperature is shown to be a function of the particle residence time in the flame and is much higher than in conventional polymer processing. This has an important influence on process modelling, since the choice of decomposition temperature used in the heat transfer analysis has a major effect on the calculated temperature profiles. The work shows that realistic predictive data can only be obtained by using the dynamic decomposition temperature. Application of the model indicates that only the surface layers of the polymer feedstock particles undergo significant decomposition during plasma spraying and that the feedstock injection position is an important control parameter.

Abstract An investigation has been undertaken on the analysis of residual stress in glass coatings during plasma spraying. Theoretical analysis and in-situ experimental measurements show that the residual stresses in glass coatings are particularly sensitive to the heat input from the plasma flame, since this can raise the temperature to above the glass transition temperature. Control of the spraying parameters enables the quench stress of splats to be relaxed by the end of the spraying and the only significant remaining source of stress derives from the differential contraction between the coating and substrate during cooling. The analysis also shows that a stress transition occurs during cooling and that the sign of the final residual stress depends upon the expansion coefficient of the glass. The residual stresses are shown to govern the critical coating thickness for cracking and the coating adhesion.

Abstract The adhesion of plasma sprayed polyamide and PMMA coatings to steel depends markedly on the plasma arc power, the spraying distance and the substrate temperature. Each of these process parameters shows an optimum value with respect to adhesion. The underlying reason for this behaviour is the pronounced sensitivity of polymers to temperature. Heat transfer analysis and electron microscopy indicate that a critical amount of heat is required to be transferred from the flame to the feedstock particles in order to provide sufficient splat flow but avoid coating thermal degradation. Inadequate flow leads to interfacial voidage while degradation gives inferior bonding and porosity.

Abstract Experimental work has been undertaken to investigate the importance of the temperature of the substrate during deposition on the coating-adhesion of plasma sprayed borosilicate glass coatings. The work shows that the measured adhesion increases markedly with substrate temperature up to 400°C above which no further major increase takes place. Heat transfer and fluid mechanics calculations predict that the effect of substrate temperature is due to its influence through the cooling rate on the viscosity and flow of the molten glass particles as they impact on the substrate surface. The theoretical calculations also predict large temperature gradients through the thickness of the splats and glass coatings, and the consequent non-uniform thermal stress distributions are expected to contribute to the reduced splat retention rate and coating-adhesion at low substrate temperatures. The predictions were confirmed by an electron microscopy examination of the morphology of isolated splats, the deposits and the coating-substrate interface.

Abstract Plasma spray deposition of epoxies under normal conditions produces coatings with low wear resistance. The research shows that the difficulty in achieving satisfactory properties is a result of the rapid heat flow from the coating to the substrate, which suppresses the crosslinking reaction. The results indicate that the use of substrate preheating or ceramic undercoats enhances the wear resistance by promoting the curing reaction during spraying.

Abstract A heat transfer analysis has been undertaken to predict the influence of process parameters on the decomposition of in-flight particles and deposited layers during thermal spraying of polymer coatings. The theoretical analysis shows that polymers are unique in developing large temperature gradients, which accelerates the degradation of the surface of the particles and the coating layers. However, the analysis indicates that the degradation can be limited by the control of the plasma gas composition, the spraying distance and the torch traverse speed. The theoretical analysis has been confirmed by weight loss measurements, wear tests and microstructural observations of plasma sprayed PMMA coatings. The work shows the existence of a critical traverse speed below which satisfactory coatings cannot be produced.