In the current investigation plasma spray technique was used for depositing hydroxyapatite (HA) and hydroxyapatite – silicon oxide (SiO 2 ) coatings on 316L SS substrate. In HA-SiO 2 coating, 20 wt% SiO 2 was mixed with HA. The feedstock and coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) / energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. The corrosion resistance of the uncoated, HA coated and HA + 20 wt% SiO 2 coated 316L SS was investigated by electrochemical corrosion testing in simulated human body fluid (Ringer’s solution). After the corrosion testing, the samples were analyzed by XRD and SEM / EDX analyses. The addition of SiO 2 reduces the crystallinity of the coating. The corrosion resistance of the 316L SS was found to increase after the deposition of the HA + 20 wt% SiO 2 and HA coatings.

Titanium aluminium based nitride (Ti, Al)N coatings possess excellent tribological behaviour with respect to metal cutting and polymer forming contacts. In the present work TiAlN coatings were deposited by plasma spray process. Three coatings of TiAlN were deposited on AISI-347 grade boiler steel substrate out of which two were thin nano coatings deposited at different temperatures of 500°C and 200°C and one conventional coating was deposited by plasma spraying. The as sprayed coatings were characterized with relative to coating thickness, microhardness, porosity and microstructure. The optical microscopy (OM), the XRD analysis and field mission scanning electron microscope (FESEM with EDAX attachment) techniques have been used to identify various phases formed after coating deposited on the surface of the substrate. Subsequently the sliding wear behaviour of uncoated, PVD sprayed nanostructured thin TiAlN coatings deposited at 500°C and 200°C and plasma sprayed conventional coated AISI-347 grade boiler steel were investigated according to ASTM standard G99-03 using pin on disk wear test rig. Cumulative wear volume loss and coefficient of friction, μ were calculated for the coated as well as uncoated specimens for 10, 15 and 20 N normal loads at a constant sliding velocity of 1 m/sec. The worn out samples were analysed with SEM/EDAX. Wear rates in terms of volumetric loss (mm³/g) for uncoated and coated alloys were compared. The nanostructured TiAlN coatings deposited at 500°C and 200°C has shown minimum wear rate as compared to conventional TiAlN coating and uncoated AISI-347 grade boiler steel. Nanostructured TiAlN coatings were found to be successful in retaining surface contact with the substrate after the wear tests.