Materials and Design 24 (2003) 309313

0261-3069/03/$ - see front matter 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0261-3069(03)00059-1
Structure and wear behaviour of HVOF sprayed Cr C NiCr and
3 2
WCCo coatings
Tahar Sahraoui*, Nour-Eddine Fenineche, Ghislain Montavon, Christian Coddet
Laboratoire dEtudes et de Recherches sur les Materiaux, les Plasmas et les Surfaces (LERMPS),
Universite de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard (UTBM), Site de Sevenans, 90 010 Belfort, France
Received 4 December 2002; accepted 13 March 2003
Abstract
Hard chrome plating is used to restore the original dimensions to worn surfaces of gas turbine shafts. However, its use is about
to decrease due to some intrinsic limitations of its deposits and the toxic and carcinogenic characteristics of the hexavalent
chromium. During the last decade high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal sprayed cermet coatings play an important role in
industrial applications where exceptional friction and wear resistance are required. The purpose of this study is to investigate and
to compare the microstructure, wear resistance and potentials of HVOF sprayed Cr C NiCr and WCCo coatings for a possible
3 2
replacement of hard chromium plating in gas turbine components repair. It has been shown that coatings exhibit high hardness
with a high volume fraction of carbides being preserved during the spraying, and have different wear behaviour.
2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cermets; Spraying; Wear
1. Introduction
Carbides based cermets coatings are widely used
against wear and corrosion in gas and oil industries.
Their wear resistance is three to five times that of
electroplated chromium, and their manufacturing costs
are low
w
13
x
. They are often implemented using high
velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying process
which allows to mitigate the decarburisation phenome-
non occurring during the spraying. It was pointed out
that the wear behaviour of coatings depends on the
microstructure and the volume fraction of carbides being
preserved during the deposition process
w
4,5
x
. The pres-
ent study was undertaken to investigate and to compare
in various test conditions properties and wear behaviour
of Cr C NiCr, and WCCo coatings deposited using
3 2
HVOF thermal spraying for possible applications in gas
turbine shafts repair (heavy-duty) (Fig. 1).
*Corresponding author. Tel.: q33-3-84-58-31-12y16; fax: q33-3-
84-58-32-86.
E-mail address: tahar.sahraoui@utbm.fr (T. Sahraoui).
2. Materials and experiments
The feedstock were Cr C 25%NiCr (Amdry 5260)
3 2
and WC12%Co (Amdry 1301) powders. Table 1 pres-
ents the composition and the production method of the
powders used. Coatings were carried out by thermal
spray with supersonic flame (HVOF). The torch used
was a commercial Sulzer-Metco CDS system operating
with methane and oxygen as fuel gases and using a
nozzle of 3 psi. Coatings were deposited to a thickness
of 250350 mm on a 25CD4 discs substrate (rim). SEM
and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize various
features of the materials. Images obtained using the
optical microscope were employed in image analysis to
determine the level of porosities present in the deposit.
Interfacial indentation, hardness and surface roughness
of coatings were also evaluated. Wear tests were per-
formed using an Amsler machine. The loads used were:
245, 490 and 735 N. The rotation speed of the coated
discs was 200 RPM, whereas that of the brass discs
(counter-samples) was 180 RPM (Fig. 2). Prior to the
wear tests the coating discs were ground, and the Brass
counter-samples surfaces were polished. Applied loads
310 T. Sahraoui et al. / Materials and Design 24 (2003) 309313
Fig. 1. Worn shafts of THM gas turbine engines (degradation of hard
chromium deposit).
Fig. 2. Amsler sample dimensions.
Table 2
Design table and results of the Amsler wear tests
Tests Load Cr C 25NiCr
3 2
WC12Co
(N)
Moment Wear Moment Wear
(N m) Work
a
(N m) Work
a
A1 245 25=10
y2
0.72 15=10
y2
0.66
A2 490 21=10
y2
0.54 19=10
y2
0.51
A3 735 27=10
y2
0.78 24=10
y2
0.66
Results are reduced dimensionless.
a
Table 1
Chemical composition and production method of powders (a) Cr C 25NiCr, (b) WC12Co
3 2
(a) Cr C 25NiCr
3 2
Powder Production method Element C Cr Ni
Amdry 5260 Agglomerated and sintered Wt.% 9.23 Balance 19.6
(b) WC12Co
Powder Production method Element Co WC C (free) Fe
Amdry 1301 Agglomerated and sintered Wt.% 11.4 Balance -0.20 -2.0
and sliding velocities are selected according to the
design table shown in Table 2.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Characterization
The Cr C 25NiCr powder is shown at high magni-
3 2
fication in Fig. 3 and the X-ray diffraction pattern of
the Cr C 25NiCr as-sprayed coating is shown in Fig.
3 2
4. A great peak characteristic of a substantial amount of
elemental chromium (Cr) is both observed on the
coating and powder spectrums. The intensity of Cr C
3 2
peaks are similar than that of the spraying powder, and
Cr C, Cr C peaks cannot be observed. However, weak
3 7 3
Cr Ni peaks can be observed. A broad maxima in the
3 2
range of 4244 two theta seems to indicate an amor-
phous phase in the deposit. HVOF sprayed Cr C
3 2
25NiCr coatings, exhibit an appreciable hardness and
high porosity (Table 3).
The properties and performance of tungsten carbide
coatings is attributed to a complex function of carbide
size, shape and distribution, matrix hardness and tough-
ness, and solution of carbon in the cobalt matrix. A
coating must retain a large volume fraction of finely
distributed tungsten monocarbide (WC) to achieve the
optimum wear properties. This is largely dependent on
the minimizing of decarburisation of WC, which can
readily occur at high temperatures associated with the
thermal spray process
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6
x
. The coatings contain a much
higher concentration of tungsten monocarbide crystals
WC, as distinguished by the higher proportion of dark
gray phase (Fig. 5). X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed
the presence of a larger percentage of WC (Fig. 4).
This result was expected due to the higher flame velocity
and lower flame temperature of the HVOF process,
which would limit the decomposition process. X-ray
diffraction also indicated a substantial amount of W C,
2
but did not reveal substantial amounts of cobalt contain-
ing-subcarbides in the deposits as Co W C, Co W C,
3 3 6 6
Co W C, etc. The results of chemical analysis indicated
6 4
311 T. Sahraoui et al. / Materials and Design 24 (2003) 309313
Fig. 3. SEM observations of powders: (a) Cr C 25NiCr powder; (b) WCCo powder.
3 2
Fig. 4. X-ray diffraction pattern of the as-sprayed coatings.
Table 3
HVOF thermal sprayed coatings characteristics
Deposits Roughness Roughness Porosity Microhardness
(as-deposited) (ground) (%) (HK)
R (mm)
a
R (mm)
a
Cr C 25%NiCr
3 2
8.38"0.61 0.64"0.09 1.47 605"4
WC12%Co 7.98"0.36 0.61"0.07 0.38 696"5
the presence of elemental cobalt (Co) in the coating (as
expected), but X-ray diffraction did not reveal any
substantial cobalt-containing phases. Instead, it showed
a broad maxima in the 4048 two theta range, which is
characteristic of microcrystalline or amorphous materi-
als. The cobalt and excess carbon is probably present in
the coatings in an amorphous state. The formed deposit
is harder than Cr C 25NiCr deposit and presents a low
3 2
porosity. The indentation tests in interfaces revealed a
great resistance which results in a good adherence of
the deposit and the substrate (Table 3).
3.2. Friction and wear tests
The Amsler tests have led to evaluate the wear rate
of coatings by means of coated samples weight loss as
by the analysis of the surface damage under various
applied loads. Fig. 6 shows the evolution of the moment
according to the sliding distance which was 2500 m.
This evolution is the same for the two materials and
permit to explain why during all tests, the samples cross
a grinding period which results in a temporary increase
of the moment value because of the high friction of the
mating surfaces. A stability of the moment is recorded
thereafter, due to the reduction in friction of the new
surface qualities. With the increase of load, friction
becomes increasingly significant and is accompanied by
a light weight loss of deposits (Fig. 7). This is due
primarily to wear and fatigue of the two coating types.
The worn surfaces (after the Amsler tests) are shown at
high magnification in Fig. 8. Micrographs reveal that on
the HVOF sprayed Cr C 25NiCr there is an evidence
3 2
of particle pull-out or scratching which supports the
wear by abrasion. Damaged surfaces contain craters
whose rate and dimension are more significant than
those caused in WCCo deposits. The deposit damage
appears more ductile in case of Cr C 25NiCr than in
3 2
WCCo. This is mainly due to the difference in hardness
of the two materials. A matter transfer caused by the
312 T. Sahraoui et al. / Materials and Design 24 (2003) 309313
Fig. 5. Optical micrographs of the as-sprayed coatings: (a) Cr C 25NiCr; (b) WCCo.
3 2
Fig. 6. Evolution of the moment varied with sliding distance.
Fig. 7. Evolution of the weight loss of HVOF coated samples vs. the
applied loads.
Fig. 8. SEM observations of worn region of samples coated with: (a) Cr C 25NiCr; (b) WCCo.
3 2
adhesive wear is to be noted for the two deposits. In
the same context counter-samples (brass discs) knew a
considerable weight loss. It is important to specify that
the wear tests of HVOF sprayed Cr C 25NiCr and
3 2
WC12Co coatings were carried out without lubrication
and with extreme condition loadings. Thus WCCo
coatings exhibit good wear resistance than those of
313 T. Sahraoui et al. / Materials and Design 24 (2003) 309313
Cr C 25%NiCr and appear more adequate with a good
3 2
performance in case of lubrication and moderated
loadings.
4. Conclusion
The results of the present study on the Cr C 25NiCr
3 2
and WCCo HVOF sprayed coatings can be summa-
rized as follows:
Coatings exhibit high hardness with a high volume
fraction of carbides being preserved during the HVOF
spraying process.
Hardness and wear resistance of the WCCo coatings
were better than those of the Cr C 25NiCr coatings.
3 2
Compared to HVOF sprayed Cr C 25NiCr coatings,
3 2
WCCo coatings exhibit a low porosity.
Considering the economical and ecological require-
ments, HVOF sprayed carbides based cermets coat-
ings can be used for a possible replacement of hard
chromium plating in gas turbine shafts repair.
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