Plasma generated by an SG-100 torch was applied to a spray suspension formulated with the use of ZrO 2 +8 wt% Y 2 O 3 (8YSZ) solid phase. The solids had a mean size of about 4.5 μm and were obtained by milling of commercial Metco 204 NS powder. The suspension was formulated with 20 wt% solid phase, 40 wt% water and 40 wt% ethanol. The plasma spray parameters were optimized with the electric power equal to 40 kW, working gases composition Ar 45 slpm and H 2 5 slpm, spray distance varying from 40 to 60 mm, and torch scan linear speed varying from 300 to 500 mm/s. Coatings with thicknesses ranging from 51 to 106 μm were sprayed onto stainless steel substrates. The porosity of the samples was found from the image analysis of metallographically prepared cross-sections of the samples to be in the range of 8 to 12%. Thermal diffusivity was measured with the use of the commercial NanoFlash system in the temperature range from room temperature to 523 K. The measurements were made with the use of the coatings sprayed on the substrate, and a 2-layer numerical model was developed to determine thermal diffusivity of the coatings. The diffusivity was in the range from 0.196 × 10 -6 to 0.352 × 10 -6 m 2 /s in room temperature depending on the spray parameters. The obtained data were then associated with the literature data of density and specific heat and experimental porosity to find thermal conductivity, which was in the range of 0.47 to 0.86 W/(mK) at room temperature, depending on the spray run.

Zirconium (Zr) metal is of interest for chemical corrosion protection and nuclear reactor core applications. Inert chamber plasma spraying has been used to produce thin Zr coatings on stainless steel (SS) substrates. The coatings were deposited while using transferred arc (TA) cleaning/heating at 5 different current levels. In order to better understand thermal diffusion governed processes, the coating porosity, grain size and interdiffusion with the substrate were measured as a function of TA current. Low porosity (3.5% to < 0.5%), recrystallization with fine equiaxed grain size (3-8 µm diameter) and varying elemental diffusion distance (0-50 µm) from the coating substrate interface were observed. In addition, the coatings were low in oxygen content compared to the wrought SS substrates. The Zr coatings sprayed under these conditions look promising for highly demanding applications.

The silicon coating was sprayed on titanium substrate by low pressure plasma spraying and the subsequent coating was heat-treated in vacuum. It is found that a titanium silicide coating with the composition changed gradually can be formed through thermal diffusion treatment of silicon coating sprayed by low pressure plasma on titanium substrate. The formed silicide coatings are characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, EPMA analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The forming process of the silicide coating is investigated by examining the relationship between silicide coating thickness and thermal diffusion parameters. The results show that the composition of silicide coating changes gradually from TiSi, at the silicon coating side through TiSi and Ti5Si4, to Ti5Si4, near substrate side. The thickness of such graded silicide coating is determined by temperature and holding time during heat-treatment. The diffusion of silicon into titanium substrate is mainly responsible for the formation of silicide. Moreover, the investigation of oxidation behavior of silicide coating shows that the formation of silicide coating on the titanium substrate can improve the oxidation resistance of titanium.

This paper describes microstructure control aimed for wear-resistance improvement of Co-based (Co-Cr-W-B-Si) self-fluxing alloy coating by diffusion treatment. The diffusion treatments of thermally sprayed Co-based self-fluxing alloy coating on steel substrate were carried out at 1370K to 1450K for 600s to 6000s under an Ar gas atmosphere. Microstructural variations of the coating and the interface between the substrate and the coating were investigated in detail. A proper diffusion treatment precipitates two kinds of fine compounds in Co-based matrix. XRD and EPMA analysis revealed these precipitates to be a chromium boride dissolving cobalt and a wolfram boride containing cobalt and chromium. The size of each precipitate became larger with increasing treatment temperature and time. A coating with the proper size borides showed a superior wear-resistance.

The results for joints obtained by dynamic diffusion bonding of a 90MnCrV8 high strength steel coated with WC-Co are shown in the present work. This high strength steel substrate was coated with WC-Co, sprayed by HVOF technique (Diamond Jet Hybrid DJH-2700) using propylene as fuel gas at different conditions. The dynamic diffusion bonding was carried out in a high frequency furnace, all joints were made in air. Before doing the joints, the steel was coated with Ni and Cu by electrochemical processes in order to obtain a soft 20 m interlayer of Ni30Cu alloy. Microstructure and reacted zones in the joints were investigated by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Dispersive X Ray Spectrometry (EDX). In all joints different reacted zones can be distinguished, caused by diffusion processes which take place during the joint tests. The mechanical properties of the joints were quantified in a tensile machine, using a constant load of 0.1 MPa·s -1 . All joints broke by the WC-Co coating zone by delamination processes. The fracture surface was studied by SEM-EDX in order to know the fracture mechanism of the joints. The maximum tensile strength obtained confirm a very promising technology for industrial applications.

The gas turbine blades in a severe environment are overlaid with MCrAlY coatings by Low Pressure Plasma Spray (LPS) process for protection against hot corrosion. However, the service life of each blade is limited by damage due to embrittlement layer, which is formed by reaction diffusion at the interface between the coating and the substrate. Reaction diffusion behavior between the CoNiCrAlY coatings and substrates was investigated. In addition, high-temperature oxidation behavior of the CoNiCrAlY coating by LPS was evaluated. The CoNiCrAlY coatings for reaction diffusion test were carried out by 3 kinds of spray process (LPS, High Velocity Oxygen Fuel Spray: HVOF, Atmospheric Plasma Spray: APS) on 2 kinds of substrate (Directional Solidification and Single Crystal Ni-based super alloys). It has been found that the CoNiCrAlY coating by APS inhibited the reaction diffusion at the boundary of the coating and the base material as compared with LPS coating. It was also confirmed that the protective dense layer of aluminum oxide against hot corrosion was formed in the surface of the CoNiCrAlY coatings by LPS.

Due to its low weight and excellent dimensional stability, carbon fibre-reinforced carbon (C/C) gains more and more importance as construction material for light-weight charging racks in industrial furnaces. However, for high-temperature applications above 1,000 °C, C/C has to be protected with a diffusion-inhibiting coating in order to avoid an undesired carburization of components which are in contact with the charging rack. In the present work, coatings were produced by means of atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and powder flame spraying (PFS). The ceramic powders Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 /Cr 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) were used as coating materials, while molybdenum and silicon carbide served as adhesion-promoting intermediate layers. In order to reduce the residual stresses in the ceramic coatings, specimens with a defined segmented surface structure were compared with conventional closed coatings. Long-term high-temperature tests in several atmospheres were conducted on laboratory scale as well as in industrial practice.

Effects of diffusion treatment were investigated on the interface microstructure between a Co-based self-fluxing alloy coating and a mild steel substrate to improve the adhesion strength. Diffusion treatments were carried out at 1373 K to 1418 K for 600 s to 7200 s in an Ar atmosphere. Diffusion treatment improves the metallurgical bonding at the interface due to the diffusion of Co, Cr, W, Ni, and Si from the sprayed coating layer to the substrate and that of Fe and Mn from the substrate to the coating. This mutual diffusion forms a precipitate-free diffusion layer at the interface, and the width of this layer increases in a parabolic manner as temperature and holding time increase. The apparent activation energy for the formation of precipitate-free diffusion layer was evaluated as about 360 kJ/mol. The shearing adhesion strength of the diffusion-treated coating has been remarkably improved to 200 – 400 N/mm 2 in proportion to the width of the precipitate-free diffusion layer formed along the interface, although the shearing adhesion strength of the as-sprayed coating was only 30 N/mm 2 .

Plasma spraying is under investigation as a method for in-situ repair of damaged beryllium and tungsten plasma facing surfaces for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the next generation magnetic fusion energy device, and is also being considered as a potential fabrication method for beryllium and tungsten plasma-facing components for the first wall of ITER. Investigators at the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Beryllium Atomization and Thermal Spray Facility have concentrated on investigating the structure property relationship between the as-deposited microstructures of plasma sprayed beryllium coatings and the resulting thermal properties of the coatings. In this study, the effect of the initial substrate temperature on the resulting thermal diffusivity of the beryllium coatings and the thermal diffusivity at the coating/beryllium substrate interface (i.e. interface thermal resistance) was investigated. Results have shown that initial beryllium substrate temperatures greater than 600°C can improve the thermal diffusivity of the beryllium coatings and minimize any thermal resistance at the interface between the beryllium coating and beryllium substrate.

In this study, three different types of Al 2 O 3 coatings were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying. Some physical properties of these coatings were measured. Microstructure and wear morphologies of coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). The tribological behaviour of various coatings against stainless steel using a block-on-ring configuration were investigated in terms of the microstructure, physical properties especially the thermal diffusivity of coatings and the evaluation of tribological heat. Results revealed that the wear resistance of coatings used in this work showed a high dependence on their thermal diffusivity rather than other properties such as porosity, microhardness and bond strength: the higher the thermal diffusivity of a ceramic coating, the better is its wear resistance.

Suspension Plasma Spraying is a relatively new thermal spaying technique to produce advanced thermal barrier coatings. This technique enables the production of a variety of structures from highly dense, highly porous, segmented or columnar coatings. In this work a comparative study is performed on six different suspension plasma sprayed thermal barrier coatings which were produced using axial injection and different process parameters. The influence of coating morphology and porosity on thermal properties was of specific interest. Tests carried out include microstructural analysis with SEM, phase analysis using XRD, porosity calculation using Archimedes experimental setup, pore distribution analysis using mercury infiltration technique and thermal diffusivity/conductivity measurements using laser flash analysis. The results showed that columnar and cauliflower type coatings were produced by axial suspension plasma spraying process. Better performance coatings were produced with relatively higher overall energy input given during spraying. Coatings with higher energy input, lower thickness and wider range of submicron and nanometer sized pores distribution showed lower thermal diffusivity and hence lower thermal conductivity. Also, in-situ heat treatment did not show dramatic increase in thermal properties.

Thermal conductivity is an important design parameter for thermal barrier coatings. Accurate thermal conductivity data is therefore required to ensure proper design and reliability of gas turbine blades. In the present research, thermal conductivities of Al 2 O 3 and 8wt.% Y 2 O 3 stabilized ZrO 2 (8YSZ) coatings, made by air plasma spray, were determined from the measurements of thermal diffusivity and specific heat as a function of temperature. Thermal diffusivity was determined by the laser flash technique. Specific heat was determined by a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Detailed analyses of the results indicate that the thermal conductivity is sensitive to coating density (porosity), interfaces between splats as well as the interface between the coating and the substrate. Additionally, thermal conductivity evaluations of these coatings were also influenced by the accuracy and relevance of the data on bulk monolithic materials. Further, analyses of sensitivity of the laser flash technique to variations in the coating and the substrate parameters, for the coatings evaluated in this study, were also performed. The results are discussed in the context of coating characteristics, reference conductivity data for dense materials and the sensitivity of the measurement method to coating parameters.

CaZrO 3 coatings were alternatively prepared by air plasma spray and flame spray processes. The microstructural characteristics and crystalline phases of the coatings were comparatively studied as a function of the spraying temperature achieved with each technique and the stand off distance. Image analyses were used to estimate their porosity. Thermal diffusivity was measured on free-standing thick coatings using the laser flash technique. Thermal conductivity was obtained from the experimental thermal diffusivity and density data. The hardness of the coatings was evaluated by Vickers indentation tests. Finally, different thermal treatments were carried out to evaluate the evolution of the crystalline phases and the properties of the coatings.

Thermal barrier coatings were produced using both Ar and N 2 as the primary plasma gas. Various aspects of the process and the coatings were investigated. It was found that higher in-flight particle temperatures could be produced using N 2 , but particle velocities were lower. Deposition efficiencies could be increased by a factor of two by using N 2 as compared to Ar. Coatings having similar values of porosity, hardness, Young’s modulus and thermal diffusivity could be produced using the two primary gases. The coatings exhibited similar changes (increased hardness, stiffness and thermal diffusivity) when heat-treated at 1400°C. The results point to the potential advantage, in terms of reduced powder consumption and increased production rate, of using N 2 as compared to Ar as the primary plasma gas for TBC deposition.

The laser-flash method is used to determine the thermal diffusivity of HVOF sprayed WC-Co(Cr) and Cr 3 C 2 -Ni20Cr as well as APS sprayed Cr 2 O 3 and electroplated hard chromium coatings in the temperature range between RT and 600°C. Additionally bond and/or corrosion protective coatings like Ni5Al, Ni20Cr and 316L are characterized taking into account the different manufacturing methods twin wire arc spraying, HVCW and HVOF. With respect to the application example of drying rollers in paper industries the Taber-Abraser wear test is applied to evaluate the wear resistance. Finally the coatings are characterized concerning their corrosion resistance by salt fog test and by exposure to humid SO 2 environment. For WC-CoCr feedstock the effect of carbide size and micro hardness on thermal, wear and corrosion properties are studied. WC-CoCr coatings with maximum micro hardness and fine carbides show the best thermal conductivity. The use of coarse carbide feedstock permits manufacturing of coatings with the highest resistance against dry abrasive wear, but the protective function depends severely on the processing conditions.

In this study, 8YSZ and 24CeYSZ coatings were deposited on stainless steel by suspension plasma spraying. The suspensions were formulated using finely milled powder, water, and ethanol. Spraying parameters were modified by changing spray distance and torch scan speed and were the same for each material. Coating microstructure, phase composition, and porosity were assessed and thermal diffusivity was measured and used to calculate thermal conductivity.

In the present study, Al 2 O 3 coatings were deposited by plasma spraying using feedstock of different particle sizes. The effects of particle size on their velocity and temperature in the plasma jet, the microstructure and properties of the coatings were investigated. The results revealed that in view of the smaller inertia effects and lower heat capacity, the smaller particles can be easily accelerated and heated, and have higher in-flight velocity and temperature, which contributed to produce a denser coating with lower porosity and higher mechanical properties. It was also found that the coating deposited using the finest starting powder has the lowest thermal diffusivity. This may be reasonably correlated with the microstructural characteristics. In addition, the coating manufactured using the intermediate feedstock in terms of particle size (D50 of 19.3µm) exhibited the highest wear resistance.

The correlation between particle temperature and velocity and the structure of plasma sprayed zirconia coatings is studied to determine which parameter most strongly influences the coating structure. The particle temperature and velocity are measured using an integrated optical monitoring system positioned normal to the spraying axis. The total porosity, angular crack distribution, crack size distribution and thermal diffusivity are correlated with the particle temperature and velocity. Results show that the temperature of the sprayed particles has a larger effect on the coating properties than the velocity in the conditions investigated.

Within a Brite Euram project thick thermal barrier coatings for combustor applications were produced by plasma spraying of yttria partially stabilised zirconia (ZrO2 + 8 wt.% Y2O3). The material properties of such coatings strongly depend on their microstructure which can be altered by manipulating the parameters controlling the plasma spraying process. Covering a variation of possible microstructures, the coatings considered had a thickness of about 2 mm and were six to eight times thicker than the coatings currently in service. This investigation was concerned with an evaluation of the thermophysical and mechanical properties of these coatings and their correlation with the microstructure and the plasma spray parameters. Particular attention was paid to the influence of coating segmentation, microcracking and porosity. The experimental work included the measurement of the thermal diffusivity using the laser flash technique, thermal expansion measurements, and the determination of flexural strength and Young's modulus by means of a specially constructed four-point bend rig. Since some of the samples considered were sprayed according to a partially factorial test plan a statistical evaluation of the material data was possible yielding the correlation between process parameters and material properties.

This study on ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) presents baseline thermal conductivity data on as-deposited 7-8 wt.% YSZ and a paired-cluster rare-earth oxide doped YSZ, prepared using air plasma spray (APS). The thermal diffusivity for each coating was measured up to 1100°C using the laser flash method, and from these values, the thermal conductivity was calculated. The maximum benefit for thermal conductivity reduction in TBCs with a (GdO 2 , Yb 2 O 3 )-doped YSZ composition was highest for APS dense, vertically macrocracked microstructures, whereas in the case of low density APS TBCs, the reduction in conductivity was found to be more strongly influenced by horizontally-oriented, sub-critical defects and porosity within the coating microstructure.