Plasma Sprayed WC-12%Co-Coatings for TBC Applications on Diesel Engine Piston

In the present study, plasma sprayed WC-12%Co coatings with 100µm NiCrAlY bond coat on a substrate of A336 cast aluminum alloy have been investigated for a thermal barrier coating (TBC) application. The coatings deposited with varying topcoat thickness up to 500µm were deposited on the piston top surface of an Indian hatchback diesel car to act as a thermal barrier and enhance the thermal efficiency of the engine. Although all the specimens with distinct coating overlays survived 350 thermal cycles, the one with 200µm thickness exhibited the best thermal shock behavior as they exuded the most cycles to surface cracks initiation. Moreover, SEM analysis also suggested 200 µm thick coating to be optimal for thermal shock behavior in diesel engine components. The coating phase analysis by XRD and the lattice strain analysis performed by a Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis did not reveal any structural changes after the thermal shock experiment.