Influence of substrate temperature on adhesion of thermally sprayed Ni-5%Al coatings

Abstract

Purpose: In the paper effect of pre-heating the steel substrate on the adhesion of thermally sprayed Ni-5%Al alloy coatings was presented. The reason for the topic was the discrepancy between the literature data on the effect of the preheating of the substrate on the adhesion of the coatings and the guidelines of the coating material manufacturer. Design/methodology/approach: As a coating material the ProXon 21021 was used. It is an alloy of nickel aluminium and molybdenum. This material is often used during the regeneration of machine parts in the shipbuilding industry. The coatings by flame spraying using the Casto-Dyn DS 8000 torch were obtained. The samples were made of steel C45. The specimens to which the coating was applied were characterized by a similar surface roughness. Before applying the coatings, the samples were preheated to a temperature of 50 to 400°C. The coatings tested were similar in thickness. Adhesion strength of the coatings was determined by the pull-off method. Findings: The quantitative comparative assessment of the adhesion strength of thermally sprayed coatings can be implemented by a pull-off. The highest value of adhesion strength for coatings applied on substrates of 50, 300 and 400°C was found. Considering that the technical thermally sprayed coatings of Ni-5% Al, often require an additional machining, they must be applied to the steel substrate surface at 50°C. Research limitations/implications: The adhesion test of the coatings has not been executed in accordance with the requirements of PN-EN 582 Thermal spraying - Determination of tensile adhesive strength. Therefore, the quantitative results obtained are only comparative. Practical implications: The results obtained show that the regeneration coatings of ProXon 201021 material should only be applied to pre-heated by flame (among other things, to degrease the surface of the substrate) to a temperature of approximately 50°C. At the time the coatings are characterized by the greatest adhesion to the steel substrate. Originality/value: The study demonstrated the usefulness of cheaper method of pull-offs to evaluate the adhesion of flame sprayed coatings. The results show that there is no need for a pre-heating of the substrate between 150 and 250°C before thermal spraying. This article may be useful for technologists designing the process of regeneration of machine parts using flame spraying.