John K. Potter

Investigation and characterization of Cr3C2-based wear-resistant coatings applied by the cold spray process

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of the cold spray (CS) process in applying Cr3C2-25wt.%NiCr and Cr3C2-25wt%Ni coatings on 4140 alloy for wear-resistant applications. This article discusses the improvements in Cr3C2-based coating properties and microstructure through changes in nozzle design, powder characteristics stand off distance, powder feed rate, and traverse speed that resulted in an improved average Vickers hardness number comparable to some thermal spray processes. Cold spray process optimization of the Cr3C2-based coatings resulted in increased hardness and improved wear characteristics with lower friction coefficients. The improvement in hardness is directly associated with higher particle velocities and increased densities of the Cr3C2-based coatings deposited on 4140 alloy at ambient temperature. Selective coatings were evaluated using x-ray diffraction for phase analysis, optical microscopy (OM). and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for microstructural evaluation, and ball-on-disk tribology experiments for friction coefficient and wear determination. The presented results strongly suggest that cold, spray is a versatile coating technique capable of tailoring the hardness of Cr3C2-based wear-resistant coatings on temperature sensitive substrates.

Self-Lubricating Cold-Sprayed Coatings Utilizing Microscale Nickel-Encapsulated Hexagonal Boron Nitride

It is often beneficial to modify surfaces to gain desirable properties such as improved wear and friction resistance. Self-lubricating coatings can improve the performance of contacting surfaces and extend component lifetimes by reducing the coefficient of friction and/or improving resistance to specific wear modes. With these goals in mind, self-lubricating coatings of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) particles in a deposited nickel matrix were investigated and optimized for friction and wear. These self-lubricating coatings were created via high-velocity particle consolidation or cold spray using micrometer-sized hBN powder encapsulated by nickel and nickel phosphorous alloys. Relatively thick nickel encapsulation via electrolesss Ni plating was required to aid in coating bonding/formation by “tricking” the hBN into acting as monolithic Ni during deposition. Once deposited on aluminum substrates, the coatings were analyzed and found to exhibit enhanced mechanical and tribological properties such as high bond strength and microhardness, a relatively low coefficient of friction, and improved reciprocating wear behavior relative to pure cold-sprayed Ni coatings. Furthermore, the encapsulation process was found to be both scalable and amenable to relatively small hBN particles.

Cold-Sprayed Ni-hBN Self-Lubricating Coatings

Feedstock preparation strategies were explored to produce composite admixed, milled, and precoated (encapsulated) powders of nickel–hexagonal boron nitride (Ni-hBN) for cold-sprayed self-lubricating coatings. The resulting cold-sprayed coatings were then examined for microstructural homogeneity and composition, as well as bond strength, microhardness, and relevant wear behaviors. Though admixed powders were easy to prepare and economical, milled and precoated formulations provided the advantage of aiding contact between Ni and lubricant powders prior to spraying that ultimately improved deposition and properties. The maximum amount of hBN that could be effectively built into the cold-sprayed Ni coatings was approximately 6 wt%. Results of the study also indicated that the composite coatings exhibited slightly higher hardness and reduced adhesive strength relative to a baseline of pure Ni layers. Moreover, some reductions in friction and expected decreases in bond strength and lubricant uniformity were observed when more than 4 wt% of lubricant was retained in the coatings. Given these findings, the most promising path to improve the amount, uniformity, and influence of the lubricant may be to encapsulate smaller particles with thicker levels of Ni to “trick” the composite particle to bond as pure Ni.