Austenitic stainless steel exhibits an excellent corrosion behavior. The relatively poor wear resistance can be improved by surface hardening, whereby thermochemical processes offer an economic option. The successful diffusion enrichment of bulk material requires a decomposition of the passive layer. A gas nitriding of high velocity oxygen fuel spraying (HVOF)-sprayed AISI 316L coatings without an additional activation step was studied with a variation of the process temperature depending on the heat-treatment state of the coating. A successful nitrogen enrichment was found in as-sprayed condition, whereas passivation prevents diffusion after solution heat treatment. The phase composition and microstructure formation were examined. The crystal structure and lattice parameters were determined using X-ray diffraction analysis. The identified phases were assigned to the different microstructural elements using the color etchant Beraha II. In as-sprayed condition, the phase formation in the coating is related to the process temperature. The formation of the S-phase with interstitial solvation of nitrogen is achieved by a process temperature of 420 • C. Precipitation occurs during the heat treatment at 520 • C. In both cases, a significant increase in wear resistance was found. The correlation of the thermochemical process parameters and the microstructural properties contributes to a better understanding of the requirements for the process combination of thermal spraying and diffusion.

Gas nitriding is known as a convenient process to improve the wear resistance of steel components. A precipitation-free hardening by low-temperature processes is established to retain the good corrosion resistance of stainless steel. In cases of thermal spray coatings, the interstitial solvation is achieved without an additional surface activation step. The open porosity permits the penetration of the donator media and leads to a structural diffusion. An inhomogeneous diffusion enrichment occurs at the single spray particle edges within the coating’s microstructure. A decreasing diffusion depth is found with increasing surface distance. The present study investigates an adjusted process management for low-temperature gas nitriding of high velocity oxy-fuel-sprayed AISI 316L coatings. To maintain a homogeneous diffusion depth within the coating, a pressure modulation during the process is studied. Additionally, the use of cracked gas as donator is examined. The process management is designed without an additional surface activation step. Regardless of surface distance, microstructural investigations reveal a homogeneous diffusion depth by a reduced processing time. The constant hardening depth allows a reliable prediction of the coatings’ properties. An enhanced hardness and improved wear resistance is found in comparison with the as-sprayed coating condition.

Corrosion testing with gel electrolytes gained attention in the past decade due to the advantage of almost non-destructive and in situ electrochemical measurements of bulk materials. Regarding thermal spray coatings, gel electrolytes offered the opportunity to prevent the infiltration of the typical microstructural features such as pores and microcracks. Using the example of stainless-steel AISI 316L coatings deposited by high velocity air fuel (HVAF) spraying on mild and stainless-steel substrates, the electrochemical corrosion behavior was analyzed in 3.5% NaCl electrolytes in an aqueous and gelled state. In this context, potentiodynamic polarization tests were carried out in a three-electrode corrosion cell, which was adapted for gel electrolyte testing. Gelling was realized with a technical gelatin. The characteristic corrosion values, such as open circuit potential, corrosion potential, and corrosion current density, revealed for the gelled state that the influence of the substrate material used could be eliminated and thus, the coatings itself could be characterized. In contrast, the coating specific microstructure and substrate material significantly affected the potentiodynamic polarization curve in the 3.5% NaCl aqueous electrolyte. Optical microscopy of the coating surfaces and cross-sections proved that the corrosion attack caused by aqueous electrolytes could be mimicked with the gel electrolyte.

Neuartige eisenbasierte Lichtbogenspritzwerkstoffe stellen eine viel versprechende wirtschaftliche Alternative zu konventionellen Karbidwerkstoffen für Verschleißschutzanwendungen dar. Derzeit werden unterschiedliche Ansätze verfolgt, die Eigenschaften der aufgebrachten Funktionsschichten durch die Variation der Drahtzusammensetzung zu verbessern. Besonderes Interesse gilt dabei der Beeinflussung der Kristallstruktur und der Hartphasengrößen im resultierenden Gefüge. Das Ziel besteht darin, Spritzschichten mit einem Amorphphasenanteil sowie einer Submikro‐ und Nanostruktur zu erreichen, deren Ausbildungen durch die hohen Abkühlgeschwindigkeiten des im Prozess auf‐ und angeschmolzenen Spritzwerkstoffs im Moment des Aufpralls auf das Bauteil begünstigt werden. Die dadurch erzielten Schichten zeichnen sich durch eine hohe Härte, einen hohen Korrosions‐ und Verschleißwiderstand aus.Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit eisenbasierten Spritzschichten, die durch Lichtbogenspritzen hergestellt wurden. Durch den Einsatz von Fülldrähten mit modifizierter Legierungszusammensetzung wird die Bildung der Amorphphase sowie der Submikro‐ und Nanostruktur begünstigt. Die Füllung der Lichtbogenspritzdrähte basiert auf FeB mit einer Zusammensetzung nahe dem Eutektikum, die durch Zumischen von Cr3C2, FeSi, FeCrC und AlMg variiert werden. Durch das Zulegieren von Legierungselementen wie Cr, C, Si, Al und Mg soll die Bildung der Amorphphase weiter gefördert werden. Die hergestellten Schichten werden im Hinblick auf die resultierenden Schichteigenschaften und vorliegenden Phasen unter Variation der Legierungszusammensetzung der Fülldrähte analysiert. Es konnte durch XRD‐Analysen gezeigt werden, dass die gespritzten Schichten eine eisenbasierte amorphe Phase aufweisen.

Structural features of thermal spray coatings, e.g., porosity, can be beneficial as oil retention volumes in tribological systems in order to improve emergency running properties. While thermal spray coatings can already have a considerable degree of porosity depending on the coating conditions, the finish machining, e.g., by turning, has a significant influence on the final surface properties. Effects like near-surface deformation and subsequent closing of pores during the machining process should be prevented. In the present study, the influence of thermochemical surface hardening on the surface topography of wire arc sprayed 17Cr steel layers after finish turning was investigated. Successful surface hardening by gas nitriding was shown by light microscopic and phase analyses. The surface properties after the various treatment steps were characterized by the surface roughness parameters Ra and Rz, the valley void volume Vvv, and the Abbott curves. A rise of the valley void volume can be beneficial in tribological applications in which a suitable oil retention volume is required. Accordingly, a thermochemical treatment combined with an appropriate subsequent finishing process is suitable to significantly influence the surface properties of thermal spray steel coatings.

In the present study, a cored wire of 304 L stainless steel as sheath material and NiB and WC-12Co as filler materials was designed and deposited to produce a new wear resistant coating containing amorphous phase by arc spraying. The microstructure of the coating was investigated. The porosity and hardness of the coating were determined. The wear performance of the coating was evaluated. The XRD and TEM analyses showed that there are high volume of amorphous phase and very fine crystalline grains in the coating. DTA measurements revealed that the crystallization of the amorphous phase occurred at 579.2°C. Because metallurgical processes for single droplets were non-homogenous during spraying, the lamellae in the coating have different hardness values, which lie between about 700 and 1250 HV 100 g . The abrasive wear test showed that the new Fe-based coating was very wear resistant.

The use of electrochemical methods allows fast and inexpensive corrosion measurements of bulk materials with high significance. In the case of thermal spray coatings, electrolyte penetration into open pores up to the substrate material can cause undesired mixed potentials. Furthermore, the implementation of complex geometries or rough surfaces remains a problem. Preconditioning of the surface or the use of the electrochemical cell is required to eliminate leakage. Therefore, reliably measuring corrosion is still a challenging task. This undermines fast monitoring of corrosion performance as a part of the production process. Gelling agents are investigated to increase the viscosity of many electrolytes. A procedure has been developed to determine the concentration level and the mixing conditions. Passivation and pitting-corrosion testing are performed on thermal spray AISI 316L coatings. The electrochemical potential curves as well as the corroded surface layers were studied in comparison to a liquid electrolyte. The suitability of the test on rough surfaces in the sprayed condition was investigated. The results prove the novel approach as an alternative to established electrochemical test methods with extended application range.

No abstract