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Structure Property Relationship of Suspension Thermally Sprayed WC-Co Nanocomposite Coatings

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Abstract

Tribomechanical properties of nanostructured coatings deposited by suspension high velocity oxy-fuel (S-HVOF) and conventional HVOF (Jet Kote) spraying were evaluated. Nanostructured S-HVOF coatings were obtained via ball milling of the agglomerated and sintered WC-12Co feedstock powder, which were deposited via an aqueous-based suspension using modified HVOF (TopGun) process. Microstructural evaluations of these hardmetal coatings included transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The nanohardness and modulus of the coated specimens were investigated using a diamond Berkovich nanoindenter. Sliding wear tests were conducted using a ball-on-flat test rig. Results indicated that low porosity coatings with nanostructured features were obtained. High carbon loss was observed, but coatings showed a high hardness up to 1000 HV2.9N. S-HVOF coatings also showed improved sliding wear and friction behavior, which were attributed to nanosized particles reducing ball wear in three-body abrasion and support of metal matrix due to uniform distribution of nanoparticles in the coating microstructure.

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Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge the support of Youssef Elakwah at Alfaisal University KSA in conducting the nanoindentation experiments. Irina Shakhverdova (Fraunhofer IWS) is thanked for support in evaluation of XRD pattern. Financial support of Saudi Aramco for the research project is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Engineering, Alfaisal University, P.O. Box 50927, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia

    R. Ahmed & N. H. Faisal

  2. School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK

    R. Ahmed

  3. School of Engineering, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK

    N. H. Faisal

  4. Materials Performance Unit, Research & Development Centre, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia

    Nayef M. Al-Anazi & S. Al-Mutairi

  5. Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology - IWS, Winterbergstrasse 28, 01277, Dresden, Germany

    F.-L. Toma

  6. Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems - IKTS, Winterbergstrasse 28, 01277, Dresden, Germany

    L.-M. Berger & A. Potthoff

  7. Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloníki, Greece

    E. K. Polychroniadis, M. Sall & D. Chaliampalias

  8. Office of Research & Graduate Studies, Alfaisal University, P.O. Box 50927, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia

    M. F. A. Goosen

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  1. R. Ahmed
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  2. N. H. Faisal
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  11. M. F. A. Goosen
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Correspondence to R. Ahmed.

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Ahmed, R., Faisal, N.H., Al-Anazi, N.M. et al. Structure Property Relationship of Suspension Thermally Sprayed WC-Co Nanocomposite Coatings. J Therm Spray Tech 24, 357–377 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-014-0174-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-014-0174-2

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