Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Splat Morphology and Influence of Feeding Rate During Reactive Plasma Spray of Aluminum Powder

  • Peer Reviewed
  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Spray Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fabrication of aluminum nitride (AlN) coatings using conventional plasma spraying processes directly has been deemed impossible. It is attributed to the thermal decomposition of the AlN feedstock particles during spraying without a stable melting phase. Using the reactivity of the plasma (reactive plasma spraying: RPS) showed a promising consideration for in situ formation of AlN thermally sprayed coatings. Several AlN-based coatings were fabricated through the RPS of aluminum powders in the N2/H2 plasma. The focus of this study is in discussing the morphology of splat deposition during the nitriding of Al particles. Furthermore, the influence of the feeding rate during the RPS and nitriding of Al powders will be investigated. The nitride content, as well as the unreacted molten Al phase, strongly influences splat deposition and morphology during the RPS of Al. The collected splats can be divided into reacted, partially reacted, and unreacted splats. The reacted splats tend to show a disk or egg-shell shape. The partially reacted mainly had outside nitride shells and an unreacted molten Al part in the center. The unreacted splats tended to show a splash shape. The main controlling factor is the time of the droplet impact on the substrate during the reaction sequence. The particle size and spray distance showed significant effects on the splat formation due to their effect on the nitriding conversion and the melting behavior of the particles during RPS nitriding. The powder feeding rate was investigated through increasing the injection rate and by using a low carrier gas flow rate. Increasing the powder feeding rate significantly improved the coating thickness. However, it suppressed the nitriding conversion of the large Al particles. Thus, with increasing the amount of the powder in the plasma, the Al molten particles are easily aggregated and agglomerate together upon colliding on the substrate with an AlN shell on the surface. This prevents the N2 from having access to all of the aggregated particles. Therefore, the fabricated coatings using large Al particles consist of surface AlN layers and the central parts of AlN and Al composite layers. On the other hand, it was possible to fabricate about 500-μm-thick AlN coatings using fine Al particles of 15 μm and increasing the feeding rate. Using the fine particles improved the nitriding reaction due to the improvement of the surface area (the reaction area). Moreover, the nitriding process of the Al particles with increasing the feeding rate was also investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. H.O. Pierson, Handbook of Refractory Carbides and Nitrides, Noyes, New Jersey, USA, 1996, p 237-239

    Google Scholar 

  2. A.W. Wemer, Carbide, Nitride and Boride Materials Synthesis and Processing, Chapman & Hall, London, 1997, p 6-68

    Google Scholar 

  3. S. Nakamura, The Roles of Structural Imperfections in InGaN-Based Blue Light-Emitting Diodes and Laser Diodes, Science, 1998, 281, p 956-961

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Fukumoto, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and K. Takahashi, Fabrication of Aluminum Nitride Coating by Reactive RF Plasma Spray Process, Proc. International Thermal Spray Conference (ITSC), 2004, CD.

  5. M. Yamada, T. Yasui, M. Fukumoto, and K. Takahashi, Nitridation of Aluminum Particles and Formation Process of Aluminum Nitride Coatings by Reactive RF Plasma Spraying, Thin Solid Films, 2007, 515(9), p 4166-4171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Cubic Aluminum Nitride Coating Through Atmospheric Reactive Plasma Nitriding, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2010, 19(3), p 635-641

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Fabrication of AlN Coatings by Reactive Atmospheric Plasma Spray Nitriding of Al Powders, Mater. Trans., 2010, 51(5), p 957-961

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Reactive Atmospheric Plasma Spraying of AlN Coatings: Influence of Aluminum Feedstock Particle Size, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2011, 20(3), p 580-589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Controlling of Nitriding Process on Reactive Plasma Spraying of Al Particles, IOP Conference Series: Mater. Sci. Eng., 2011, 18, 202006. doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/18/20/202006.

  10. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Influence of Plasma Gases on Fabrication of AlN Coatings Through Atmospheric Plasma Nitriding Process, Ind. Appl. Plasma Process, 2010, 3, p 1-10

    Google Scholar 

  11. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Influence of NH4Cl Powder Addition for Fabrication of Aluminum Nitride Coating in Reactive Atmospheric Plasma Spray Process, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2011, 20(1-2), p 205-212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, In situ Fabrication of AlN Coating by Reactive Plasma Spraying of Al/AlN Powder, Coatings, 2011, 1-2, p 88-107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Synthesis of Cubic Aluminum Nitride Coating from Al2O3 Powder in Reactive Plasma Spray Process, Mater. Trans., 2013, 54(2), p 207-214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, N2 and H2 Plasma Gases’ Effects in Reactive Plasma Spraying of Al2O3 Powder, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2013, 216, p 308-317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Reactive Plasma Spraying of Fine Al2O3/AlN Feedstock Powder, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2013, 22(8), p 1283-1293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. M. Shahien, M. Yamada, T. Yasui, and M. Fukumoto, Reactive Plasma Sprayed Aluminum Nitride Based Coating Thermal Conductivity, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2015, 24(8), p 1385-1398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. P. Fauchais, M. Fukumoto, A. Vardelle, and M. Vrdelle, Knowledge Concerning Splat Formation: An Invited Review, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2004, 13(3), p 337-360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. M. Fukumoto, I. Ohgitani, and T. Yasui, Effect of Substrate Surface Change on Flattening Behaviour of Thermal Sprayed Particles, Mater. Trans., 2004, 45(6), p 1869-1873

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. M. Fukumoto, I. Ohgitani, Y. Tanaka, and E. Nishioka, Flattening Problem of Thermal Sprayed Particles, Mater. Sci. Forum, 2004, 449(452), p 1309-1312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. P. Fauchais, A. Vardelle, and B. Dussoubs, Quo Vadis Thermal Spraying?, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2001, 10(1), p 44-66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. P. Fauchais, G. Montavan, and G. Bertrand, Influence of Powders on Thermal Spray Coating Structures: Recent Developments in Nano or Finely Structured Coatings and Some Safety Issues, Proc. International Thermal Spray Conference (ITSC), 2009, p 799-817.

  22. M. Vardelle, A. Vardelle, P. Fauchais, K.-I. Li, B. Dussoubs, and N.J. Themelis, Controlling Particle Injection in Plasma Spraying, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2001, 10(2), p 267-284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. V. Rosenband and A. Gany, Activation of Combustion Synthesis of Aluminium Nitride Powder, J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2004, 147, p 179-203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. T. Fujii, K. Yoshida, K. Suzuki, and S. Ito, Direct Nitriding of Large Grains of Aluminum with 2 mm Size, Solid State Ionics, 2001, 141-142, p 593-598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. K. Remesh, H.W. Ng, and S.C.M. Yu, Influence of Process Parameters on the Deposition Footprint in Plasma-Spray Coating, J. Therm. Spray Technol., 2003, 12, p 377-392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. C. Lin and S. Chung, Combustion Synthesis of Aluminum Nitride Powder Using Additives, J. Mater. Research, 2001, 16(8), p 2200-2208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Y. Qiu and L. Gao, Nitridation Reaction of Aluminium Powder in Flowing Ammonia, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 2003, 23, p 2015-2022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. M. Radwan and M. Bahgat, A Modified Direct Nitridation Method for Formation of Nano-AlN Wiskers, J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2007, 181, p 99-105

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, 441-8580, Japan

    Mohammed Shahien, Motohiro Yamada & Masahiro Fukumoto

  2. Advanced Materials Department, Central Metallurgical R& D Institute (CMRDI), Cairo, Egypt

    Mohammed Shahien

Authors
  1. Mohammed Shahien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Motohiro Yamada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Masahiro Fukumoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammed Shahien.

Additional information

This article is an invited paper selected from presentations at the 7th Asian Thermal Spray Conference (ATSC 2015) and has been expanded from the original presentation. ATSC 2015 was held in Xi’an, China, during September 23-25, 2015, and was organized by the Asian Thermal Spray Society in association with Xi’an Jiaotong University, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shahien, M., Yamada, M. & Fukumoto, M. Splat Morphology and Influence of Feeding Rate During Reactive Plasma Spray of Aluminum Powder. J Therm Spray Tech 25, 1490–1501 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-016-0417-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-016-0417-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation