Application of functional coatings by supersonic thermal plasma flows

Development of modern high-speed technologies for thermal spraying proves that deposition of high-quality dense coatings requires velocity of sprayed particles to be 600 m/s and above. Plasma spraying is the most versatile and highly productive deposition method of various functional coatings without any limitations on the melting points of the sprayed materials. Present work describes a DC plasma torch designed for operation in a supersonic mode. The supersonic plasma torch features de Laval nozzle, utilization of air as a plasma-forming gas, and annular injection unit for delivery of the powder to the plasma jet. The comparison of NiCr and NiAl coatings deposited both in subsonic and supersonic modes are presented. Methods for further increasing the sprayed particles’velocity and the requirements for their heating temperature are proposed.

On hybrid type of cathode attachment in high current vacuum arcs

This paper discusses the issues of a possible change of the type of cathode attachment of high-current vacuum arcs (HCVA) with an average cathode current density of more than 105 A/cm2. This type of HCVA is used as pumping plasma gun in experiments with plasma puff z-pinches. These experiments showed that the measured linear mass of the HCVA plasma jet is much higher (by a factor of 10 or more) than the expected mass, which can be obtained from the assumption that cathode attachment occurs only through a multitude of cathode spots emitting supersonic plasma jets. It is shown that in HCVA of the type under consideration, at some time instant there are two types of cathode attachments - cathode spots and thermionic erosion attachment (TEA). It can be said that HCVA of this type have a hybrid cathodic attachment. Unlike cathode spots, TEA produces a subsonic plasma flow, which contributes to an increase in the linear mass of the HCVA plasma jet.

Measurements of electron number density and temperature in a supersonic plasma jet by optical emission spectroscopy

The results of experimental studies of the shock-wave region of the supersonic plasma jet flow formed by a pulsed capillary discharge with a polymeric wall are presented. Using optical emission spectroscopy of high spatial resolution, a detailed picture of the evolution of the radial profiles of the electron number density and temperature along the initial section of an underexpanded plasma jet, starting from the capillary outlet and ending with the flow stagnation zone, has been obtained. It was found that the profiles of the electron number density and temperature reflect all the features of the shock-wave flow region, tracing the influence of intercepting, central and reflected shock waves.

Effect of Ni/MoS2 Addition on Microstructure and Properties of Supersonic Plasma-Sprayed Ni-Based Composite Coatings

Abnormal tool wear is a significant problem encountered in machining. MoS2 has the function of friction reduction; thus, to mitigate friction, two Ni-based coatings, Ni60 and Ni60 + 15 wt.% Ni/MoS2, were obtained on tungsten steel using supersonic plasma technology. The microstructure, phase structure, microhardness, fatigue properties, and friction and wear properties of the two coatings were characterized. The results show that the two plasma-sprayed Ni-based coatings have desirable structures. The addition of Ni-coated MoS2 can effectively improve the hardness of the coatings, with values reaching as high as 735 HV. The speed of rotation of the friction ball was set as 200 r/min, and the cutting force was 201.6 N. The fatigue performance as well as the friction and wear performance of the coating are simulated using ANSYS. The fatigue performance is improved by 12.6 % after adding 15 wt.% Ni/MoS2, and the friction system of the coating becomes stable after 25 min of contact. The addition of 15 wt.% Ni/MoS2 can effectively improve the performance of the tool material.

Regulation of the normalized rate of driven magnetic reconnection through shocked flux pileup

Magnetic reconnection is explored on the Terrestrial Reconnection Experiment (TREX) for asymmetric inflow conditions and in a configuration where the absolute rate of reconnection is set by an external drive. Magnetic pileup enhances the upstream magnetic field of the high-density inflow, leading to an increased upstream Alfvén speed and helping to lower the normalized reconnection rate to values expected from theoretical consideration. In addition, a shock interface between the far upstream supersonic plasma inflow and the region of magnetic flux pileup is observed, important to the overall force balance of the system, thereby demonstrating the role of shock formation for configurations including a supersonically driven inflow. Despite the specialized geometry where a strong reconnection drive is applied from only one side of the reconnection layer, previous numerical and theoretical results remain robust and are shown to accurately predict the normalized rate of reconnection for the range of system sizes considered. This experimental rate of reconnection is dependent on system size, reaching values as high as 0.8 at the smallest normalized system size applied.

THE INTERACTION OF A SUPERSONIC PLASMA JET CONTAINING NANOPARTICLES WITH A SUBSTRATE

In the framework of a multi-fluid axisymmetric hydrodynamic model, the interaction of a supersonic plasma jet containing nanoparticles with a flat substrate is investigated using computer simulation. In particular, the fluxes of nanoparticles on the substrate are studied at plasma inlet pressure P0=1...100 Torr. The results show that a shock wave is formed near the substrate, which affects the energy of nanoparticles and their fluxes on the substrate. The width of the region along the radius, where the flow of nanoparticles onto the substrate is essential, depends on the plasma pressure in the jet. At large values of plasma pressure (P0≥75 Torr) a cloud of nanoparticles with a sharp boundary is formedon the axis of the plasma jet near the substrate. Interacting with this cloud, nanoparticles moving in the plasma jet, lose directed energy and their flow on the substrate near the axis of the jet is zero.