Thermochemical processes are an appropriate way to improve the surface hardening of the material against wear. Thermal spraying is a group of deposition processes that can deposit different classes of materials. The use of thermomechanical process after metallic coatings deposition can result in a unique combination of bulk and surface properties. There are some studies that indicate the defects and stresses caused in the crystal lattice as one of the factors that most influence nitrogen diffusion during the nitriding process. The HVAF (High Velocity Air-Fuel) process can generate different fault conditions and stress-strain in the crystal lattice. The aim of this work is study the effect of the plasma nitriding or, as it is known, Glow Discharge (GD), on FeMnCrSiNi coating deposited with HVAF process. Initially, it was observed the formation of expanded austenite and CrN on the HVAF coating, followed by important increase on the hardness of the coating.

This present work investigates the effect of electromagnetic fields on cold spray processes by means of an induction-heating cold spray (IHCS) system. Aluminum powder was cold sprayed onto inductively heated Ti6Al-4V (Ti64) substrates. These materials were selected to minimize the mechanical contribution to coating adhesion. As a result, changes in coating adhesion strength can be attributed to improved metallic bond formation due to the effect of the electromagnetic field. Four different initial substrate surface temperatures were used in the study to assess the role of initial temperature as well. Deposition efficiency and adhesion and tensile strength measurements were recorded and are used to characterize the hybrid coating process and compare it with traditional techniques.

This paper discusses the challenges of constructing mathematical models of physicochemical and heat-mass transfer processes associated with reactive heterogeneous materials used in laser additive manufacturing. The results of calculations of thermocapillary convection induced by laser heating in an aluminum melt with an admixture of nickel particles are presented. Models of interphase and chemical interactions with the formation of intermediate phases and intermetallic compounds on nickel particles added to the melt during laser alloying or cladding are proposed, which make it possible to calculate the composition of intermetallic phases in the trace of the beam after crystallization and cooling.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of electromechanical treatment on the structure and wear behavior of plasma-sprayed nickel coatings. The coatings were air plasma sprayed on low carbon steel substrates, then electromechanically treated using different values of current density. Erosion resistance was assessed based on volume loss and coating microstructure and phase composition were evaluated via SEM and XRD. Erosion mechanisms were compared by analyzing coating cross-section and surface microstructures and wear resistance was associated with features such as defects, porosity, and cracks.

Ti-Al and Al-Cr metallic coatings were deposited on Superfer800H (Fe-based superalloy) through a plasma spray process. Then the gas nitriding of the coatings was done in the lab and the parameters were optimized after conducting several trials on plasma sprayed coated specimens. Characterization and high temperature corrosion behaviour of coatings after exposure to air and molten salt at 900°C were studied under cyclic conditions. Techniques like XRD, SEM/EDAX and EPMA analysis have been used for characterization of the coatings and to analyze the oxide scale. Both the coatings have successfully protected the substrate and were effective in decreasing the corrosion rate when subjected to cyclic oxidation at 900°C for 50 cycles in air and molten salt. The coatings subjected to cyclic oxidation in air have shown relatively high weight gains in the early cycles of the exposure. Uncoated Superfer800H (Fe-based superalloy) showed very poor resistance to hot corrosion in molten salt environment.

In this work, numerical modeling is used to simulate the effects of laser remelting as a post treatment and as an in-situ component of a hybrid plasma spraying process. Initially, a single-pass 2D model is used to simulate the laser post-treatment process in order to obtain relationships between melting pool depth, relative scanning velocity, and laser power. A 3D finite-element model is then used to study temperature variations during multi-layer deposition of a NiCr alloy by plasma spraying with in-situ laser melting. The effects of phase change are taken into account by defining the enthalpy of the material as a function of temperature. Predicted melting pool depth corresponded well with experimental values.

This paper presents a new method for producing high-energy pulsed plasma flows with a dc air torch and demonstrates its use in surface hardening and thermal spraying applications. The method employs electromagnetic plasmadynamics and is capable of generating high-frequency pulsed-periodic plasmas at atmospheric and high pressure. Plasma flow velocities of 3-5 x 103 m/s at temperatures of 15 x 103 K have been achieved.

This study compares the effects of plasma nitriding and nitrocarburizing treatments on HVOF sprayed stainless steel coatings with different crystal structure. The treatments were conducted at 550 °C for 10 h in a gas mixture of N 2 and H 2 for nitriding and N 2 , H 2 , and C 2 H 2 for nitrocarburizing. Optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, and XRD show that the treatments produced thick nitride layers consisting of a compound layer and a nitrogen diffusion layer. The treatments increased not only the surface hardness, but also the load bearing capacity of the coatings due to the formation of CrN, Fe 3 N, and Fe 4 N phases. Plasma nitrocarburized 410 stainless steel had the highest microhardness and load bearing capacity because of the precipitation of Cr 23 C 6 on the surface.

Reactive plasma spraying (RPS) has been considered as a promising technique for in situ formation of aluminum nitride (AlN) based thick coatings. This study investigated the reactive plasma spraying of AlN coating with using Al 2 O 3 powder and N 2 /H 2 plasma. It was possible to fabricate a cubic- AlN (c-AlN) based coating. The phase composition of the coating consists of c-AlN, α-Al 2 O 3 , Al 5 O 6 N and γ-Al 2 O 3 . Understanding the nitriding process during coating deposition is essential to control the process and improve the coating quality. The nitriding process was performed by spraying, collecting the particles into a water bath (to maintain its particle features) and observing their microstructures and cross sections. During the coating process, the sprayed particles were melted, spheroidized and nitrided in the N 2 /H 2 plasma to form the cubic aluminum oxynitride (Al 5 O 6 N). The particles collided, flattened, and rapidly solidified on the substrate surface. The Al 5 O 6 N is easily transformed to c-AlN phase (same cubic symmetry) by continuous reaction through plasma environment. Improving the specific surface area by using smaller particle sizes enhances the surface nitriding reaction and improves the nitriding conversion. Furthermore, using AlN additives enhances the nitride content in the coatings. It was possible to fabricate thick and uniform coatings with high AlN content by spraying fine Al 2 O 3 /AlN mixture. Furthermore, the N 2 gas flow rate improved the nitriding conversion and the coating thickness.

The FeAl intermetallic compound offers a combination of attractive properties such as thermal barrier, good strength at intermediate temperatures and an excellent corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures under oxidizing, carburizing and sulfidizing atmospheres. So they have attracted considerable attention as potential candidates for structural and coatings applications at elevated temperatures. However, the application of these intermetallics has been limited due to lack of deposition techniques and their low ductility at room temperature. To overcome the drawbacks we apply Low Pressure Cold Spray (LPCS) with following sintering for improving coating ductility and structure. The aim of this paper is to present the first results of FeAl intermetallic compound synthesis with this technique. A CS deposit is built up by the successive impact of individual powder particles that are the ‘‘building blocks’’ of the deposit. Sintering is applied to utilize reactions between the particles and obtain complex intermetallic compound. The microstructures and properties of the coatings were characterized by SEM, EDX and thermal diffusivity tests to define the structure formation mechanisms.

Thermal spray coatings of austenitic materials are mainly used under corrosive conditions. The relatively poor wear resistance strongly limits their use. A selective enrichment of the surface layer region with carbon by means of thermochemical heat treatment improves the residual stresses and increases the wear resistance. The interstitial deposition of carbon causes strong compressive residual stresses and a high surface hardness. The low process temperature of the thermochemical heat treatment avoids the precipitation of chromium carbide, whereas the corrosion resistance is not affected. Increases in the service life of existing applications or new material combinations with face-centred cubic friction partners are possible. In the absence of dimensional change, uniform as well as partial carbon enrichment of the thermal spray coating is possible. In comparative studies between carburized and untreated thermal spray coatings, the influence of the carbon enrichment on the coating properties and the microstructure was investigated. Carburized coatings demonstrate a significant improvement in adhesive wear resistance and an extremely high surface hardness. The cross section micrograph of the carburized coating shows the S-phase formation in the surface layer region. The depth profile of the carbon concentration was determined by GDOS analysis.

The fretting phenomenon was investigated experimentally in contacts between nitrided, coated and nitrided-coated Ti-6-4 rods against uncoated M50 rods generating a circular Hertzian contact. A fretting wear test rig was designed and developed to facilitate mounting of rod specimens of different coating thicknesses. Fretting wear tests were performed on low temperature and high temperature nitrided Ti-6-4 rods as well as on T-800 (CoCrMoSi) thermal spray coated Ti-6-4 and T-800 coated M50 rods. Finally, tests were carried out on Ti-6-4 rods nitrided at low and high temperatures and T-800 thermal spray coated on the top. The results obtained from fretting tests of each surface against uncoated M50 are studied and compared. Fretting wear volumes and surface profiles are presented for the contacts studied. The fretting wear resistance of each surface is quantified and compared with Archard’s wear equation. The role of amplitude of motion and number of cycles on the fretting wear of coatings is discussed. It was observed that increase in fretting wear resistance of uncoated Ti-6-4 rods by nitriding is greater than thermal spray coating. The fretting wear resistance was found to be higher for high temperature nitrided-coated rods than for low temperature nitrided-coated rods.

This paper presents a way of processing cold-sprayed Ti-Al to produce titanium aluminum nitride coatings. These coatings are meant to serve as a durable protective layer on tools exposed to molten aluminum alloys. A Ti-Al powder mixture with a weight ratio of 70/30 was cold sprayed onto specially prepared substrates using nitrogen as a process and powder delivery gas. The resulting coatings were alloyed at different temperatures to obtain a stabilized Ti-Al intermetallic phase for further nitriding treatment. The nitriding process was carried out in an ammonia-nitrogen atmosphere at 900 °C. The final product had a web-shaped microstructure with the same thickness as the cold-sprayed Ti-Al. Test samples were placed in molten aluminum for 1200 hours without notable chemical reaction.

This paper provides an overview of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes and the advantages they offer physical vapor deposition for the application of friction and wear coatings for micromechanical assemblies and components. It explains how hard and solid lubricant phases can be applied by these non-line-of-sight deposition methods, achieving nanoscale conformality and coating uniformity on buried surfaces and interfaces. It also discusses inherent disadvantages and explains how plasma excitation can be incorporated in either process to overcome material limitations.

Degradation of components that operate under elevated temperature and carburizing environments involves the diffusion of C and the precipitation of carbides. Industries have been seeking for materials that can withstand these service conditions. The present work aimed to develop coatings to address this challenge through the enrichment of a Ni based alloy with Al. An atomized Ni alloy without Al and different powder mixtures with 15 and 30wt%Al were deposited by PTA on a carbon steel. Coatings were analyzed in the as deposited condition and after temperature exposure in an air furnace and pack cementation tests at 650º and 850ºC. Vickers microhardness profiles under a 500gf load, X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electronic microscopy were done Results revealed that the presence of Al lead to the development of a complex intermetallic phases which were associated with the enhanced metallurgical stability of the coatings under the tested temperatures. The superior performance of the coatings deposited with the powder mixture containing 30wt%Al after pack cementation was associated with the development of the NiAl intermetallic phase and of the oxide layer Al 2 O 3 that stabilized the microstructure at the tested temperatures and reduced the diffusion of C.

The plasma surface hardening, as one of methods of surface treatment by heating sources with high power density, finds presently wide and effective application in conditions of short-series and single-part (including repair), and large-scale and wholesale manufacture. One of effective methods for research and optimization of the plasma surface hardening is the use of computer simulation. The complex mathematical model of steel parts hardening at high-speed plasma heating is presented in the article. Model includes mathematical description of steel parts heating and cooling, and also forming of their stress-strain state. The distinctive feature of the presented model is taking into account under modeling of phase transformations and plastic deformations. It allows to achieve the maximally adaptation of the simulation results to real physical characteristics of the process. The algorithm of model computer realization, based on the application of final elements method is offered.

The effect of pack boronizing on microstructure and hardness of WC-12wt%Co coating sprayed on a low carbon steel (SS400) was studied using two kinds of HVOF-sprayed WC-Co coatings consisting of a single phase of WC and several phases of WC, W 2 C and Co 3 W 3 C, respectively. Pack boronizing was applied at 1273K for 3.6ks under an argon flow atmosphere, using 5%B4C, 5%KBF4 and 90%SiC powders. Microstructures obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM and EDX analyzer. After boronizing, WC and CoW 2 B 2 phases were detected in the both sprayed WC-Co coatings. This suggests that not only WC but also W 2 C and Co 3 W 3 C of WC-Co coatings decomposed by boronizing, resulting in the development of CoW 2 B 2 . However, many porosities with a size of more than 10µm were formed on the coating consisting of WC, resulting in a low hardness of HV600. On the contrary, the coating with W 2 C and Co 3 W 3 C has little porosity and a high hardness of HV2600.

Titanium alloys are used in several fields due to their outstanding high specific strength, low density and excellent corrosion resistance, but the low wear resistance confines their applicability. The performance of CVD and PVD coatings is limited by the low hardness of the substrate, which cannot supply sufficient support, and conventional thermal spray coating materials do not provide the excellent corrosion properties. Laser alloying also often results in a decreased corrosion resistance and additionally in embrittlement. The use of boron for laser alloying or dispersing of diborides permits the incorporation of extremely hard boride phases without significant decrease of the matrix materials corrosion resistance and ductility, as there is no solubility of boron in titanium. Laser alloying with boron paste and dispersing of TiB 2 in Ti6Al4V surfaces is carried out with CO 2 lasers and an adapted inert gas shower apparatus. Typically a melt pool depth of 200 - 300 µm is achieved and the boride precipitates permit an increase of the surface hardness from 350 HV0.05 in the initial state to about 800 HV0.05. The surface area is characterized by means of optical microscopy, SEM and EDXS. Vacuum plasma spraying is used to provide a technology for deposition of TiB 2 layers with defined thickness prior to laser treatment on surfaces with complex shape and in order to evaluate the direct applicability of thermally sprayed TiB 2 coatings.

Lightweight materials such as Al and Ti alloys tend to show poor wear resistance. However, laser alloying of thermally sprayed coatings can be used to form intermetallic phases within the surface area to overcome this disadvantage and to build a metallurgical bond between substrate and coating. Such phases formed in an exothermic reaction may show excellent corrosion behaviour and wear resistance. These reactions can be used to influence the surface properties by remelting metallic coatings on Al or Ti substrates. With respect to the wear behaviour, Ti and Al intermetallics are of great interest. Ti and Al alloys were coated by Al, Ti, and Ni respectively. The different structures on the surface of the alloys depend first on the laser processing parameters resulting in the overheated melt and as well as the latent heat of the formed intermetallic phases. The experimental results clearly show that for short dwell times the latent heat dominates the solidification process and that at high solidification rates the microstructure formation becomes nearly independent from the process parameters. This effect is of special interest for industrial applications as quality requirements ask for robust processes. The paper discusses the metallurgical fundamentals of intermetallic phases and the energy balance of the solidification while giving a deep insight into the influence of different process parameters. Lastly, the properties of alloyed surfaces are discussed.

In this paper, spectroscopic and electrostatic probe measurements are made to examine the characteristics of a supersonic dc plasma jet near the surface of titanium plate during a nitriding treatment. The low-pressure nitriding process is done using a mixture of ammonia, nitrogen, and hydrogen gasses. Heating effects from the plasma are evaluated with nickel slug and thermocouple attached to the plate. The authors present the results of their study along with observations, insights, and suggestions on how to improve plasma nitriding processes. Paper includes a German-language abstract.