Calcium zirconate and magnesium zirconate prepared by synthesis and agglomeration were sprayed using a water stabilized plasma gun under varied spraying conditions. The same set of conditions was maintained during spraying of fused lime stabilized zirconia and magnesia stabilized zirconia. The intent of the study was to compare spraying behaviour and deposit properties of pairs of feedstock material that have just about the same chemical composition but differ considerably in the way of preparation. Free-flight particles as well as deposits were characterised by standard techniques, such as light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and pycnometry. The differences between relevant coatings were evaluated namely in terms of morphology, chemical and phase composition, density and porosity. Sources of observed differences are discussed.

The pore microstructure of thermal spray coatings can be described as a combination of interlamellar pores, intralamellar cracks, and volumetric globular pores. This complex pore morphology can strongly influence the properties of the deposited layer. In this paper, the authors use a multiple small-angle neutron scattering (MSANS) technique to characterize the pore system in NiCrAlY layers. It is shown that the inter-lamella system is of utmost importance. Paper includes a German-language abstract.

This paper evaluates an electrochemical mapping method for determining the corrosion resistance and structural integrity of thermally sprayed coatings. In the test setup, a potentiostat is suspended over the test sample, forming an electrochemical cell. The circuit is completed through an electrolyte-containing porous tip. Capillary forces keep the electrolyte on the surface of the tip, preventing transfer to the substrate surface. In the investigation, electrochemical, spatially resolved measurements are carried out on flame and vacuum plasma sprayed nickel-base coatings and compared with the results of salt spray testing. It is observed that the new method offers many advantages being faster, nondestructive, and quantitative in nature. Paper includes a German-language abstract.

Relationships between the properties of thermally sprayed nickel based alloys and their microstructure (density, porosity, oxide phase content) are investigated. Cross-property- correlation of physical properties such as electrical conductivity and elasticity were examined. The experimental results of the structures and properties of the different coatings are discussed with respect to their pore surface area obtained by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. As wide as possible range of thermally sprayed microstructures of NiCr and NiCrAlY was produced by vacuum - and atmospheric plasma spraying, flame spraying, HVOF and water stabilized plasma spraying. Commercially available powders with process specific grain size distributions were used as feedstock materials resulting in a wide range of microstructures of the coatings depending on the spraying technique and, to much less extent, on the variation of the process parameters. In this work the examination of the pore structure was carried out by optical microscopy on metallographic cross sections. Phase composition and distribution were investigated by hot gas extraction for oxygen and nitrogen determination and by Scanning Auger Microscopy on polished cross sections and fracture surfaces. The properties of the coatings were characterized by their wear (ASTM G75) behavior, reflecting application-oriented properties. Significant and varying amount of anisotropy of the coating properties - electrical conductivity and elastic modulus - was found in the sprayed microstructures. This anisotropy could be directly linked to microstructure anisotropy as characterized by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering.

Technological properties of thermally sprayed deposits are to a great extent related to the underlying microstructure. The present project aims to relate macroscopic properties of metallic coatings to their microstructure. For this purpose, thermally sprayed deposits of nickel based alloys (NiCr, NiCrAlY) were manufactured by various spraying techniques - atmospheric and vacuum plasma spraying, flame spraying, high velocity oxygen fuel and water-stabilized plasma spraying. One of the key microstructural features is the void system. This system is usually characterized by the total volume of voids, the so called porosity. An additional characteristic parameter of the void system is the specific surface area. The method of anisotropic Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) in the "Porod Regime" allows the determination of the anisotropic specific surface area of the complex void system that consists of intralamellar cracks and interlamellar pores. In contrast to optical microscopy, the SANS technique is capable of resolving the pore structure down to the nanometer scale, and the measured specific surface area represents a statistically relevant average value for the whole illuminated sample volume which is usually a few mm 3 . Besides the presence of voids and cracks the performance of thermally sprayed coatings is also significantly influenced by residual stresses. In the present work residual strains were determined by the technique of neutron diffraction as well as by bending tests, i.e. laser profilometry of the substrate before and after the spraying process. The specific surface area and the residual stresses are discussed with respect to total porosity, the presence of secondary phases like oxides and wear behavior. Special attention is drawn to the anisotropy of the apparent surface area, which is discussed with respect to the anisotropy of macroscopic properties like electrical resistance.

Improved understanding of microstructure-property relationship can help to shift from experiment-based to science-based development of thermally spray deposits. This should result in shorter and less expensive development as well as in higher functionality and reliability of the deposits. Significant amount of work has been done, however, nearly always studying deposits manufactured by only one of the thermal spray techniques. Results are therefore often spray technique specific. A broad study with samples manufactured by a number of different thermal spray techniques seems to be missing yet. Relationships valid across different techniques should provide better understanding of the generic relationships. This research employs number of different techniques - flame, HVOF, plasma (APS, VPS, WSP), to generate a wide range of microstructures. Various Ni-based alloys are studied starting from a simple chemistry (Ni) and ending with complex NiCrAlY alloys. Presented results were obtained with NiCr (80% Ni, 20% Cr) feedstock. Microstructures are characterized by various techniques-OM, SEM, XRD, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and others - to obtain the most comprehensive set of macro to micro structural parameters available today. The wear and corrosion properties of these deposits are measured together with internal coating stresses and the most generic microstructure-property relationships are sought.

This paper examines an aluminum oxide coating plasma-sprayed onto a substrate made of high-quality stainless steel by means of light microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The aim is to determine the phases that form preferentially at the transition. It is observed that high amount of corundum phase was found in a plasma sprayed white alumina coating. XRD phase analysis of the coating indicated that all three major alumina phases were present: alpha-, gamma-, and delta-aluminum oxide. Further development in the field of TEM sample preparation is required in order to obtain larger electron-permeable surfaces, since it is not clear whether the alpha-aluminum oxide found at the transition is in the form of a spatter or a grain introduced by sandblasting. Paper includes a German-language abstract.