International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials
Volume 21, Number 5, May 2014, Page 469
DOI: 10.1007/s12613-014-0931-8
Corresponding author: Ji-xiao Wang E-mail: jixiao_wang@163.com
© University of Science and Technology Beijing and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014
Microstructure and mechanical properties of twin-wire arc sprayed Ni−Al
composite coatings on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet
Ji-xiao Wang
1,2)
, Jing-shun Liu
3)
, Lun-yong Zhang
4)
, Jian-fei Sun
1)
, and Zhi-ping Wang
5)
1 ) School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
2 ) Harbin Welding Institute, China Academy of Machinery Science & Technology, Harbin 150028, China
3) School of Materials Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
4) National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures & Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
5) College of science, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China
(Received: 19 November 2013; revised: 10 January 2014; accepted: 20 January 2014)
Abstract: We have systematically studied the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ni−5wt%Al and Ni−20wt%Al composite coat-
ings fabricated on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet by twin-wire arc spraying under different experimental conditions. The abrasive wear be-
havior and interface diffusion behavior of the composite coatings were evaluated by dry/wet rubber wheel abrasive wear tests and heat treat-
ment, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the composite coatings exhibit features of adhesive wear. Besides, the Vickers micro-
hardness of NiAl and Ni
3
Al intermetallic compounds is relatively larger than that of the substrate, which is beneficial for enhancing the wear
resistance. With the increase of annealing temperature and time, the interface diffusion area between the Ni−Al coating and the substrate
gradually expands with the formation of NiAl
3
and Ni
2
Al
3
phases, and is controlled by diffusion of aluminum atoms. The grain growth ex-
ponent n of diffusion kinetics of the Ni−Al coating, calculated via a high-temperature diffusion model at 400, 480, and 550°C, is between
0.28 and 0.38. This satisfies the cubic law, which is consistent with the general theoretical relationship of high-temperature diffusion.
Keywords: composite coatings; intermetallics; spraying; aluminum alloys; mechanical properties; diffusion
1. Introduction
6061-T6 aluminum alloy is a medium to high strength,
heat-treatable alloy that is being extensively used for the
fabrication of deflectors in aircraft carriers [1] and the Ma-
rine Corps AM2 mats [2]. The surface of the Al alloy
6061-T6 used in these applications is often coated with ep-
oxy-based coatings containing hard particles to realize a
nonskid surface and adherence to the aluminum substrate.
Of the different methods used for coating the Al alloy
6061-T6, arc spray coating technology offers the advantages
of low operational cost, high spray rate, and efficiency,
making it an ideal method for spraying large areas. Besides,
the coatings fabricated by the arc spray technology are typi-
cally denser and stronger than those fabricated by combus-
tion spray coatings. Recent advancements in equipment and
processing methodologies have greatly improved the quality
and expanded the potential applications of thermally
sprayed coatings. This method offers the possibility of spray
coating a wide range of metals, alloys, and metal-matrix
composites. The twin-wire arc spraying technique has sev-
eral advantages, including high-temperature and high-ve-
locity deposition, wherein the arc temperature can reach up
to 5000−7000°C, and the particle velocity ranges from 100
to 500 m/s. At such high temperature and velocity, the mol-
ten ends of the wires are dispersed and accelerated by a gas
stream (air or inert gas). The coatings obtained under such a
combination of high arc temperature and particle velocity
have superior bond strength and lower porosity level,
compared with the flame sprayed coatings [3]. Thermally
sprayed nickel-based alloy coatings are being used in a vari-
ety of applications, including bond coats for thermal barrier
coatings (TBCs) on turbine components and internal com-
bustion engine cylinders, corrosion protection of boiler
tubes, and in numerous other applications requiring wear,
high-temperature and corrosion-resistant surfaces.