Effect of Flame Remelting on the Microstructure, Wear and Corrosion Resistance of HVOF Sprayed NiCrBSi Coatings

Abstract

As a post treatment, thermal remelting is an effective method to eliminate pores and establish a metallurgical bonding for thermal sprayed coatings. However, it is rather difficult to obtain simultaneously high corrosion and wear resistance, since additional energy input usually leads to more homogeneous microstructure in coatings, which deteriorates mechanical hardness. In this work, flame remelting has been imposed to high velocity oxygen-fuel sprayed self-flux NiCrBSi coatings. The remelting effects on microstructure were characterized in terms of porosity and phase analysis. The microhardness, wear resistance and corrosive behaviors were compared among substrate steel, as-sprayed and as-remelted coatings. Results show that the lamellar boundaries and internal defects in the as-sprayed coatings have been eliminated by remelting. The coating porosity has substantially reduced from 7.36% to 0.75%, and a metallurgical bonding at the coating/substrate interface has been formed. Comparing with the as-sprayed coatings, the microhardness of the remelted coatings increases about 21% and the wear weight loss reduces about 42%. By flame remelting, the wear mechanism changes from furrow and abrasive wear to micro-cutting and local fracture. The remelted coatings have also exhibited better corrosion resistance by means of salt spraying and potentiodynamic tests.