A Cu-15Ag-5P filler metal (BCuP-5) is fabricated on a Ag substrate using a high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process, followed by post-heat treatment (300°C for 1 h and 400°C for 1 h) of the HVOF coating layers to control its microstructure and mechanical properties. Additionally, the microstructure and mechanical properties are evaluated according to the post-heat treatment conditions. The porosity of the heat-treated coating layers are significantly reduced to less than half those of the as-sprayed coating layer, and the pore shape changes to a spherical shape. The constituent phases of the coating layers are Cu, Ag, and Cu-Ag-Cu3P eutectic, which is identical to the initial powder feedstock. A more uniform microstructure is obtained as the heat-treatment temperature increases. The hardness of the coating layer is 154.6 Hv (as-sprayed), 161.2 Hv (300°C for 1 h), and 167.0 Hv (400°C for 1 h), which increases with increasing heat-treatment temperature, and is 2.35 times higher than that of the conventional cast alloy. As a result of the pull-out test, loss or separation of the coating layer rarely occurs in the heat-treated coating layer.

In this study, a new manufacturing process for a multilayer-clad electrical contact material is suggested. A thin and dense BCuP-5 (Cu-15Ag-5P filler metal) coating layer is fabricated on a Ag plate using a high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) process. Subsequently, the microstructure and bonding properties of the HVOF BCuP-5 coating layer are evaluated. The thickness of the HVOF BCuP-5 coating layer is determined as 34.8 μm, and the surface fluctuation is measured as approximately 3.2 μm. The microstructure of the coating layer is composed of Cu, Ag, and Cu-Ag-Cu3P ternary eutectic phases, similar to the initial BCuP-5 powder feedstock. The average hardness of the coating layer is 154.6 HV, which is confirmed to be higher than that of the conventional BCuP-5 alloy. The pull-off strength of the Ag/BCup-5 layer is determined as 21.6 MPa. Thus, the possibility of manufacturing a multilayer-clad electrical contact material using the HVOF process is also discussed.

A T-800 (Co-Mo-Cr) coating material is fabricated using Co-Mo-Cr powder feedstock and laser cladding. The microstructure and melted Al erosion properties of the laser-cladded T-800 coating material are investigated. The Al erosion properties of the HVOF-sprayed MoB-CoCr and bulk T-800 material are also examined and compared with the laser-cladded T-800 coating material. Co and lave phases (Co₂MoCr and Co₃Mo₂Si) are detected in both the lasercladded T-800 coating and the bulk T-800 materials. However, the sizes of the lave phases are measured as 7.9 μm and 60.6 μm for the laser-cladded and bulk T-800 materials, respectively. After the Al erosion tests, the erosion layer thicknesses of the three materials are measured as 91.50 μm (HVOF MoB-CoCr coating), 204.83 μm (laser cladded T-800), and 226.33 μm (bulk T-800). In the HVOF MoB-CoCr coating material, coarse cracks and delamination of the coating layer are observed. On the other hand, no cracks or local delamination of the coating layer are detected in the laser T-800 material even after the Al erosion test. Based on the above results, the authors discuss the appropriate material and process that could replace conventional bulk T-800 materials used as molten Al pots.

This study investigates the microstructure and wear properties of cermet (ceramic + metal) coating materials manufactured using high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) process. Three types of HVOF coating layers are formed by depositing WC-12Co, WC-20Cr-7Ni, and Cr₃C₂-20NiCr (wt.%) powders on S45C steel substrate. The porosities of the coating layers are 1 ± 0.5% for all three specimens. Microstructural analysis confirms the formation of second carbide phases of W2C, Co6W6C, and Cr7C3 owing to decarburizing of WC phases on WC-based coating layers. In the case of WC-12Co coating, which has a high ratio of W2C phase with high brittleness, the interface property between the carbide and the metal binder slightly decreases. In the Cr₃C₂-20CrNi coating layer, decarburizing almost does not occur, but fine cavities exist between the splats. The wear loss occurs in the descending order of Cr₃C₂-20NiCr, WC-12Co, and WC-20Cr-7Ni, where WC-20Cr-7Ni achieves the highest wear resistance property. It can be inferred that the ratio of the carbide and the binding properties between carbide–binder and binder–binder in a cermet coating material manufactured with HVOF as the primary factors determine the wear properties of the cermet coating material.

Citations

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• Tribological Behavior Analysis of WC-Ni-Cr + Cr₃C₂ and WC-Ni-Cr + YSZ Coatings Sprayed by HVOF
  Tae-Jun Park, Gye-Won Lee, Yoon-Suk Oh
  journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2023; 30(5): 415.     CrossRef
• Effects of different HVOF thermal sprayed cermet coatings on tensile and fatigue properties of AISI 1045 steel
  Gi-Su Ham, R. Kreethi, Hyung-jun Kim, Sang-hoon Yoon, Kee-Ahn Lee
  Journal of Materials Research and Technology.2021; 15: 6647.     CrossRef