Investigation on Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Thermally Sprayed Fe-Base Composites Reinforced with Different Ceramic Particulates

Abstract

Three different coatings were deposited using the Detonation Gun Spraying (DGS) technology from steel powders alone; and steel powers mixed with Fe3C and SiC particles; respectively. The microstructural characteristics of these coatings were examined and the hardness of each type of coating was studied. The morphology and structure of the feedstock powders were affected by the exposure to high temperature during the spraying process and rapid solidification of steel powders that resulted in the formation of an amorphous structure. The unreinforced steel coating had the highest hardness among the three types of coatings; possibly due to a higher degree of amorphization in the coating compared to the other two samples. The microstructural observation confirmed the formation of dense coatings with a layered structure with good connectivity between layers with minimum defects and porosities in the interfacial regions.