Preliminary Studies on HVOF Sprayed Coatings on the Magnesium Alloys

In the field of the development of modern techniques, which improve and/or regenerate the component’s surface properties, High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) spraying of carbides or metals and their alloys is a good alternative method to other conventional surface engineering ones, including magnesium foundry alloys. Coatings manufactured by thermal spraying are used to improve the durability and life time of machine parts, both the new and regenerated ones, by changing the surface layer properties. In this work the results of HVOF sprayed coatings deposited onto AZ31 magnesium alloy substrate are reported. The feeding material was composite powder Cr3C2–NiCr. The coatings were investigated in terms of their microstructure and selected mechanical properties. For structure examinations, microscopy studies (light and scanning ones) were used as well as phase composition analysis. In the case of mechanical properties, the wear resistance was determined also microhardness was measured.