Acquisition of a new LVPS and APS coating system at Delta Air Lines necessitated optimization of the coating parameters on both systems, especially for application of bond coat (LVPS) and top coat (APS) for a TBC coating system. To expedite the coating optimization, it was determined that a design of experiments (DOE) approach would best enable the establishment of the operating window for the two systems. Samples prepared were primarily evaluated for their performance while exposed to a cyclic oxidation cycle. Samples were also evaluated for the microstructure and composition using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Samples from the ceramic coating DOE were also evaluated for their erosion characteristics. Results indicate a low correlation between the individual bond coat parameters evaluated to the furnace cycle life. However, the top coat spray parameters were found to have a greater correlation to furnace cycle life and erosion performance.

As steam power plants continue to move towards higher operating temperatures in order to improve efficiency, materials exposed to the working fluid are subjected to accelerated degradations in the forms of surface oxidation and reduced mechanical properties. In this study, the oxidation behavior of two cobalt base alloys, CoCrMoSi (T14) and CoCrNiMoSi (T19), was evaluated in superheated steam (SHS, 0.1MPa) at 800 °C for up to 500 hours. After the exposure, both T14 and T19 alloys experienced weight gain caused by oxidation. Visual observation and SEM surface analysis revealed that T19 had greater extent of surface oxide spallation than that seen on T14. From the cross-sectional evaluation, however, a thin, adherent oxide layer was found to have formed on T19. T14 in fact had suffered from excessive internal oxidation and the surface oxide was uneven. Based on the results obtained so far, it is believed that the finer Laves phase combined with greater amount of Cr in alloy T19 have enabled the formation of a protective oxide layer and thus reduced the extent of internal oxidation. Due to the extensive oxidation ingress along the large Laves phase, it is concluded that T14 is not suitable for applications in SHS at 800 °C.

Thermally sprayed ceramic coatings can be used for wear protection as well as thermal and electrical insulation. When exposed to environments with high humidity, the water absorption of the ceramic coating has a tremendous impact on the electrical insulation. In thermally sprayed ceramic coatings, water can easily be absorbed by the porous microstructure of the coating. A general result of the water absorption is the reduction of the dc resistivity. However, in the high frequency regime of ac loads, contrary results were observed for sealed Al 2 O 3 coatings on steel substrates. Specimens exposed to high air humidity have shown an increased ac resistance compared to dry specimens if frequencies above 1 MHz are considered. To analyse this phenomenon, a novel measurement technique was developed to investigate the influence of the water absorption of detached ceramic coatings on the ac resistivity at high frequencies. Moreover, the water absorption of the ceramic is measured gravimetrically. To ensure the results are also applicable to ceramic coatings on substrates, the morphology of the coating was analysed using electron microscopy and compared to reference specimens deposited on steel substrates from [1].

This study developed microstructure-based finite element (FE) models to investigate the behavior of cold-sprayed aluminum-alumina (Al-Al2O3) metal matrix composite (MMCs) coatings subject to indentation and quasi-static compression. Based on microstructural features (i.e., particle weight fraction, particle size, and porosity) of the MMC coatings, representative volume elements (RVEs) were generated by using Digimat software and then imported into ABAQUS/Explicit. State-of-the-art physics-based modelling approaches were incorporated into the model to account for particle cracking, interface debonding, and ductile failure of the matrix. This allowed for analysis and informing on the deformation and failure responses. The model was validated with experimental results for cold-sprayed Al-18 wt.% Al2O3, Al-34 wt.% Al2O3, and Al-46 wt.% Al2O3 metal matrix composite coatings under quasi-static compression by comparing the stress versus strain histories and observed failure mechanisms (e.g., matrix ductile failure). The results showed that the computational framework is able to capture the response of this cold-sprayed material system under compression and indentation, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The outcomes of this work have implications for extending the model to materials design and under different types of loading (e.g., erosion and fatigue).

In subzero conditions, atmospheric ice naturally accretes on surfaces in outdoor environments. This accretion can compromise the operational performance of several industrial applications, such as wind turbines, power lines, aviation, and maritime transport. To effectively prevent icing problems, the development of durable icephobic coating solutions is strongly needed. Here, the durability of lubricated icephobic coatings was studied under repeated icing/deicing cycles. Lubricated coatings were produced in one-step by flame spraying with hybrid feedstock injection. The coating icephobicity was investigated by accreting ice from supercooled microdroplets using an icing wind tunnel. The ice adhesion strength was evaluated by a centrifugal ice adhesion tester. The icing performance was investigated over four icing/deicing cycles. Surface properties of coatings, such as morphology, topography, chemical composition and wettability, were analyzed before and after the cycles. The results showed an increase in ice adhesion over the cycles, while a stable icephobic behaviour was retained for one selected coating. Moreover, consecutive ice detachment caused a surface roughness increase. This promotes the formation of mechanical interlocking with ice, thus justifying the increased ice adhesion. Finally, the coating hydrophobicity mainly decreased as a consequence of the damaged surface topography. In summary, lubricated coatings retained a good icephobic level after the cycles, thus demonstrating their potential for icephobic applications.

Developing effective heating systems to prevent ice accretion on the surface of wind turbine blades and aircraft wings is of great significance for extreme cold environments. However, due to high velocity impingement of water droplets and solid particles on the surface of these components, an appreciable degree of surface material degradation may occur. In this study, nickel-chromium-aluminum-yttrium (NiCrAlY) was chosen as a metal matrix material for a coating-based heating system. Pure ceramic powders, namely, alumina and titania, and a cermet powder, tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-12Co), were mechanically admixed with NiCrAlY powder and deposited to fabricate reinforced metal matrix composite (MMC) coatings. The powders were deposited on cylindrical low carbon steel bars by using flame spraying. The specimens were placed in a wind tunnel to conduct a comparative investigation of their erosive wear resistance under water droplet impact. A cold spraying unit was used for solid particle impact erosion tests. The erosive wear rates were quantified by measuring mass loss. The experimentally obtained results showed noticeably lower wear rate in NiCrAlY-WC-12Co and NiCrAlY-titania coatings compared to the other coatings. The results suggest that certain MMC coatings could be effectively employed to decrease the erosion rate of coating-based heating elements.

This study demonstrates the applicability of water-stabilized plasma (WSP) spraying for producing thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). A hybrid WSP torch was used to deposit yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) topcoats from powder, suspension, and solution feedstocks. A NiCrAlY bond coat was also sprayed and Hastelloy-X alloy was used as the substrate material. Microstructure, phase composition, and thermal cycle endurance were evaluated. All coatings showed excellent stability and thermal cycle endurance, withstanding more than 700 cycles, and in one case, more than 900 cycles.

In the present work, commercially available NiCr and NiCr-TiC powder blends were deposited on boiler steel substrates by HVOF spraying. To evaluate coating performance, bare and coated steel samples were placed in the superheater zone of a coal fired boiler for 15 cycles. Weight change and thickness loss were measured and the results were used to establish erosion-corrosion kinetics. XRD and SEM/EDS techniques were used to analyze the microstructure and phase composition of as-sprayed and eroded-corroded specimens. The improvement in erosion-corrosion resistance provided by the coating may be attributed to the formation of nickel and chromium oxides and spinels.

In this study, the in-situ corrosion behavior of an Fe-based amorphous coating is investigated in a simulated deep sea environment (80 atm). FeMoCrYCB powder produced by gas atomization was deposited on 316L stainless steel substrates by HVOF spraying. The amorphous iron coatings exhibited greater pitting resistance than stainless steel under high hydrostatic pressures, evidenced by higher pitting potential, longer pitting incubation time, and reduced pitting growth. Passive films that formed on the amorphous coatings were also analyzed and found to be thicker, more uniform, and harder than those that developed on 316L stainless steel, indicating that the former are more difficult to break down and more resistant to Cl- ion penetration.

This work investigates the effects of sulfidation on plasma-sprayed Al-Mo and Mo coatings. Pure Mo powder and Al-Mo powder mixtures were sprayed on Inconel substrates with either a NiCrAlY or Mo bond coat. Oxidation and sulfidation tests were carried out in air and Ar-S 2 atmospheres, respectively, at temperatures of 973, 1073, and 1173 K. Coating samples were evaluated before and after testing via SEM and XRD analysis and weight measurements. The results show that Al-Mo coatings with a Mo bond layer provided the best protection against high-temperature oxidation and sulfidation corrosion.

Thermally sprayed aluminum (TSA) coatings have been successfully used to mitigate corrosion of carbon steel in offshore service, but concerns regarding its suitability in CO 2 -containing solutions have kept it out of the running for emerging carbon capture and storage applications. This paper presents the results of a 30-day test in which carbon steel specimens protected by TSA coatings were immersed in deionized water at ambient temperature in 0.1 MPa CO 2 . Acidity and corrosion potential were monitored during the test and dissolved Al 3+ ion content was analyzed at the completion. Based on experimental results, thermally sprayed aluminum is a viable candidate for corrosion mitigation in CO 2 -containing water as would be encountered in carbon capture and storage applications.

Commercially pure aluminum was arc sprayed on low-carbon manganese steel and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was carried on coating samples in a simulated marine immersion environment at 35 °C. A simple pore network circuit model was used to analyze the data and calculate the corrosion rate, which was estimated to be 5-15 μm/y from the charge transfer resistance value. After 9 months of exposure, the actual corrosion rate was found to be ~5 μm/y. The mechanism of protection offered by thermally sprayed aluminum (TSA) coatings is discussed.

Superplastic forming (SPF) is an advanced sheet manufacturing process typically used for low- volume, high-value products. SPF dies made from refractory castables have a lower production cost than metal dies, but their brittle nature is a limiting factor. This work investigates surface degradation mechanisms in ceramic dies and how they are affected by the application of thermal spray coatings. Among the more notable accomplishments of the study is the development of a test rig that simulates die-part interface conditions during superplastic forming and monitors die wear, making it possible to predict ceramic die lifetime for different coatings.

This study investigates plasma erosion mechanisms in alumina and yttria coatings produced by air plasma spraying. Plasma exposure tests were conducted in ICP etchers using CF 4 , Ar, and O 2 as process gases. Etching rates were calculated based on height differences between masked and unmasked areas and coating cross-sections, surface morphologies, and phase distributions were analyzed. In the Al 2 O 3 layers, erosion increased with increasing CF 4 concentration and fluoridation of the coating surface was confirmed, suggesting that chemical erosion is the dominant mechanism. Although fluoridation occurred on Y 2 O 3 surfaces as well, the amount of erosion in CF 4 was the same as in the Ar environment. It is thus assumed that the fluoride formed on Y 2 O 3 surfaces is very stable and that physical erosion due to ion sputtering is the dominant mechanism.

This study investigates the influence of segmentation crack density on the strain tolerance of thermal barrier coatings produced by atmospheric plasma spraying. A Triplex II plasma gun is used to spray fused and crushed yttria-stabilized zirconia, forming thick deposits with high segmentation crack densities, low porosity, and low branching crack density, which is necessary for good interlamellar bonding. Thermal cycling and burner rig tests yield promising results in terms of lifetime and strain tolerance behavior and microstructural analysis shows that the segmentation crack network was stable during thermal shock testing. The main failure mechanism was delamination and horizontal cracking in the vicinity of the TBC-TGO (thermally grown oxide) interface.

This paper describes recent improvements in metal supported solid oxide fuel cells produced by plasma spraying. By optimizing the process, incorporating nano-micro structured electrodes, and introducing additional layers to prevent interlayer diffusion, the power density of these cells has doubled, voltage has increased to 1.1 V, degradation rates have been cut in half, and redox stability has improved. Although upscaling to larger substrates initially caused distortion in the metal supports, the problems were successfully overcome.

In this study, plasma sprayed ceramic coatings with different amounts of SiC and MoSi 2 particles dispersed in a ZrB 2 matrix were produced and tested. The results show that MoSi 2 addition in ZrB 2 -SiC samples improves high-temperature oxidation resistance without affecting mechanical properties. Demonstrative components were manufactured and tested in simulated operating conditions by means of a plasma wind tunnel. Preliminary results indicate that thermal sprayed ceramics are well suited for use in space re-entry vehicles.

In this investigation, Ni-20Cr alloy powder was deposited on SA 516 boiler steel by cold spraying. The oxidation kinetics of both coated and uncoated samples, evaluated in molten salt, followed a parabolic rate. The rate constant of the Ni-20Cr coated steel was much lower than that of the bare boiler steel. X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDX, and X-ray mapping were used to analyze the oxidation products of the coated and uncoated boiler steel. The uncoated steel exhibited intense spalling and peeling of its oxide scale, which may be due to the formation of Fe 2 O 3 oxides. The Ni-20Cr coating reduced the weight gain of the steel by more than 87% possibly due to the formation of nickel and chromium oxides.

This study evaluates Fe-Si intermetallic powders as an alternative to powders currently used to coat furnace walls in pulverized coal fired boilers. The developed powder mainly consists of Fe 2 Si, which has a relatively low melting point among iron silicides. The powders were deposited on CrMo steel substrates by HVOF and atmospheric plasma spraying and the resulting coatings were subjected to corrosion and erosion testing. Under conditions simulating the operating environment in a low NO X boiler, the HVOF sprayed Fe-Si coatings exhibited sulfidation resistance nearly equal to that of Cr-Ni layers, and in high-temperature erosion tests, the APS intermetallic coatings with boron additions were found to be more erosion resistant than conventional Cr 3 C 2 -NiCr coatings.

This paper presents the results of long-term thermal cycling tests on plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings, including coating samples produced with functionally graded materials. The role of oxidation is also considered based on the results of elemental analysis. The authors explain how the coatings were produced and tested and present and analyze the test results. The thermal barrier coatings formed with functionally graded materials were found to be relatively unaffected after the long-term thermal cycling test and showed no signs of oxidation. Paper includes a German-language abstract.