Optimization of Yb2O3-Gd2O3-Y2O3 Co-Doped ZrO2 Agglomerated and Calcined Powders for Air Plasma Spraying

Yb2O3-Gd2O3-Y2O3 co-doped ZrO2 (YGYZ) is considered to be a promising material in thermal barrier coating (TBC) applications. In this study, 2Yb2O3–2Gd2O3–6Y2O3–90ZrO2 (mol.%) (10YGYZ) feedstock candidates for air plasma spraying (APS) were prepared by calcination of agglomerated powders at 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, and 1500 °C for 3 h, respectively. Incomplete solid solution was observed in calcined powders at 1100, 1200 and 1300 °C, and the 1500 °C calcined powder exhibited poor flowability due to intense sintering effect. The 1400 °C calcined powders were eventually determined to be the optimized feedstock for proper phase structure (cubic phase), great flowability, suitable apparent density and particle size distribution, etc. 10YGYZ TBCs with the optimized feedstock were prepared by APS, exhibiting pure c phase and good chemical uniformity. Controllable preparation of coatings with different porosity (i.e., 7%–9% and 12%–14%) was realized by stand-off distance adjustment.

MODELING AND MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION FOR APSed THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS ON IN718

Experimental results based on L[Formula: see text] orthogonal arrays (OAs) of Air Plasma Spraying (APS) parameters for deposition of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) onto bond coated Inconel 718 (IN718) superalloys were used for mathematical models, using artificial neural network (ANN), for hardness and roughness. Thereafter, it was optimized from ANN-coupling Genetic Algorithm (GA). The developed ANN-based models showed optimal level of responses as 6.61 and 1209.8, for roughness and hardness, respectively. The average percentage prediction error (APPE)/mean error percentage (MEP) and root mean square error (RMSE) for the roughness were found as 0.07834% and 0.00754%, respectively, while these APPE/MEP and RMSE for hardness were found as 0.456% and 0.00765%, respectively.

Effect of Deposition Time and Heat Treatment on Structural and Mechanical Properties of Ni3Al Coating Deposited by Air Plasma Spraying on Tool Steel

This study focuses on the effect of deposition time and heat treatment on Ni3Al coatings with respect to mechanical and microstructural properties of the material. Air plasma spraying technique was employed to deposit Ni3Al on hot work tool steel samples for different deposition times i.e. 15-45 seconds. The coated samples were then heat treated at 900 °C for 20 to 100 hours at an interval of 20 hours each. The characterization tools such as X-Ray diffraction (XRD), optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the homogeneity, phases formed and structure of coatings. All the coatings showed lamellar structure with distinctive boundaries along with the presence of some porosity and oxide particles. The XRD analysis of as prepared samples showed characteristic peaks of Ni3Al whereas of heat treated samples revealed NiO formation that increased with increasing heat treatment time. Micro-hardness and wear resistance measurements of the coated layer showed that they were increasing with the deposition time due to formation of more thick and dense layers. Formation of NiO, due to heat treatment imparted greater hardness and wear resistance to the coating. Moreover, the SEM study of heat-treated samples showed presences of alumina and spinel phases which were confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis.

INFLUENCE OF CARBON NANOTUBES REINFORCEMENT ON CHARACTERISTICS OF THERMALLY SPRAYED CERAMIC COATINGS

The influence of reinforcement of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on microstructural features and mechanical properties of thermally sprayed Al2O3–3[Formula: see text]wt.%TiO2 and WC–20[Formula: see text]wt.%Co coatings was investigated. Alumina–Titania coatings were deposited by Air Plasma Spraying (APS) and Tungsten Carbide–Cobalt coatings were deposited by High-Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) spraying process. The coatings obtained with reinforcement of CNTs were characterized to interpret the microstructural changes and also to evaluate the variation in their mechanical properties. The percentage composition of CNTs in both APS and HVOF coatings systems were varied in the order of 2, 4, and 6[Formula: see text]wt.%. It has been found that homogenous dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the coating systems results in increased microhardness and reduced surface roughness. Also, the microstructural features of the coating systems clearly showed that the coatings are denser with fewer pores due to the presence of CNTs.