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WC-Co-Cr coatings are widely employed due to their improved wear resistance and mechanical properties, however, the properties and performance of these coatings are compromised by the processing parameters of each spraying technique. Therefore, this study is aimed to evaluate and determine the effect of the deposition parameters on the properties and microstructural characteristics of WC-Co-Cr coatings using a more economical thermal spray technique. In particular, the influence of flame spray parameters on the microstructure, crystal structure, hardness, and sliding wear resistance of WC-Co-Cr coatings was examined. Two parameters were considered: Type of flame (reducing, neutral and oxidizing), and the spray torch nozzle exit area. Results indicated that WC particles undergo considerable degree of decarburization and dissolution during spraying, showing substantial amounts of W 2 C, W, and Co 3 W 3 C, for all the considered conditions. However, the extent of phase transformation depended largely on the flame chemistry. The microstructure of the coatings was mainly affected by the spray nozzle. Regarding the sliding wear behavior, the coatings with uniform distribution of hard particles provided the best wear resistance. The decomposition of WC into W 2 C phase seems to have meaningless significance in the mass loss, nevertheless, the WC phase transformation to metallic tungsten and η-phase (Co 3 W 3 C) produce higher wear rates due to deficiency of carbide particles and embrittlement of the binder phase which induces cracking and delamination of the splats.

The microstructural and chemical evolution after different processing steps of Ta-containing NiCoCrAlY bond coats (BC) sprayed by high velocity oxy-fuel on Ni-base superalloy (SA) substrates, top-coated with 7YSZ and furnace cycled at 1100 ºC focusing along the BC/SA interfaces is presented. Three superalloys were selected considering their Ta content relative to that within the BC: a) no Ta in the superalloy composition (IN100) and either b) similar or c) higher Ta content with respect to the BC (M247LC SX and CMSX-4, respectively). The processing conditions were as-sprayed, as-annealed, after EB-PVD deposition of a 7YSZ top coat, and after furnace cyclic tests (1100 ºC /120 h). The evolution of chemical composition after the different process steps are presented that include a normalization criteria to a Ni-Al-Cr system, elemental profiles as well as Weibull distribution plots of minor containing elements such as Ti, Ta, Mo, or W at the BC/SA interface. The effect of Ta was activated in some coated substrates by the presence of Ti and C in the superalloy consisting of inward Ta-diffusion, trapping of outward diffusing Ti and the subsequent formation of (Ta, Ti)-rich carbides in the BC avoiding possible segregation effects as titanium oxide in the oxide scale.

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