Michael Ice

Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured Cr3C2NiCr

Pre-alloyed Cr3C2-25 (Ni20Cr) powder was synthesized by mechanical ball milling in Hexane [H3(CH2)4CH3]and the variation of powder characteristics with milling time was investigated using SEM, X-ray and TEM. The average powder size drastically decreased with time during the first four hours of milling; then decreased slightly as milling continued up to 20 hours. For milling times in excess of four hours, the particle size approached 5 microns. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a larger structural change in the NiCr solid solution powder relative to that experienced by the chromium carbide phases. This result indicated that the NiCr solid solution powder was subjected to heavier deformation than the chromium carbide powder. During the initial stages of milling, the brittle chromium carbide powders are fractured into sharp fragments and embedded into the NiCr solid solution powder. As milling continued a NiCr chromium carbide polycrystal composite powder was formed for times up to 20 hours of milling, transforming the sharp carbide fragments into spherical carbide particles. Conventional cold welding and fracturing processes primarily occurred only among the NiCr powder and composite powders. Milling times of up to 20 hours led to the formation of a poly crystal nanocomposite powder system in which chromium carbides, with average size of 15 nm, were uniformly distributed in NiCr matrix.

Thermal Stability of Nanostructured Cr 3 C 2 -NiCr Coatings

The thermal stability behavior of nanostructured Cr3C2-NiCr coatings was investigated. The nanostructured Cr3C2-NiCr coatings, synthesized using mechanical milling and high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying, were thermally exposed in air at 473, 673, 873, and 1073 K for 8 h. The results show that microhardness of the conventional coating increased slightly with increasing temperature, while that of the nanostructured coating drastically increased from 1020 to 1240 HV300 for the same temperature increases. Heat treatment led to increases in scratch resistance and decreases in the coefficient of friction for the nanostructured Cr3C2-NiCr coatings. A high density of Cr2O3 oxide particles with average size of 8.3 nm was found in the nanostructured coatings exposed to high temperatures, which is thought to be responsible for the observed increase in microhardness and scratch resistance and the decrease in the coefficient of friction of the nanostructured coatings.

Particle melting behavior during high-velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying

Particle melting behavior during high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying was investigated using Inconel 625 powders. The powder characteristics and coating properties were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray, and microhardness studies. Results indicated that the volume fraction of unmelted particles in the coatings was dependent on the proportion of powder within a specified size range, in these experiments, 30 to 50 µm. This particle size range was primarily determined by the particle temperature, which was measured during spraying. Particle temperature significantly decreased as particle size increased. The microhardness values for the coatings containing unmelted particles were predicted by a simple rule-of-mixtures equation for the case of a low volume fraction of unmelted particles. However, for the condition of high volume fraction of unmelted particles, the measured microhardness values did not compare favorably with the calculated values, probably due to the presence of porosity, which occurred in the form of voids found among unmelted particles. The microstructure and characteristics of the feedstock powder were retained in the corresponding coating under certain spray conditions.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocomposite Coatings

The synthesis of nanocomposite coatings is described in this paper. The nanocomposite feedstock powders are synthesized using mechanical milling, and the characteristics of the milled powders, i.e., morphology, agglomeration behavior, powder size, grain size and structural evolution during milling, are analyzed using X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM. Using high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying, the nanocomposite coatings are sprayed, and the microstructures and properties of the resulting coatings are characterized.