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Microstructure and Wear Behavior of Conventional and Nanostructured Plasma-Sprayed WC-Co Coatings

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Abstract

WC-12%Co coatings were deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying using conventional and nanostructured powders and two secondary plasmogenous gases (He and H2). Coating microstructure and phase composition were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and x-ray diffraction techniques (XRD) techniques. This study examined wear and friction properties of the coatings under dry friction conditions. SEM was used to analyze abraded surface microstructure. Coating microhardness and fracture toughness were also determined. All coatings displayed strong decarburization as a result of WC decomposition, which gave rise to the formation of secondary phases (W2C and W). A very fine undissolved WC crystalline dispersion coexisted with these new phases. TEM observation confirmed that the matrix was predominantly amorphous and filled with block-type, frequently dislocated crystallites. Wear was observed to follow a three-body abrasive mechanism, since debris between the ball and the coating surface was detected. The main wear mechanism was based on subsurface cracking, owing to the arising debris. WC grain decomposition and dissolution were concluded to be critical factors in wear resistance. The level of decomposition and dissolution could be modified by changing the plasmogenous gas or feed powder grain size. The influence of the plasmogenous gas on wear resistance was greater than the influence of feedstock particle size.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science under project MAT 2006-12945 and of the EU under the network of excellence “Knowledge-based Multicomponent Materials for Durable and Safe Performance” (KMM-NoE, NMP3-CT-2004-502243).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica – Asociación de Investigación de las Industrias Cerámicas, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain

    E. Sánchez & E. Bannier

  2. Instituto de Tecnología de Materiales, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    M. D. Salvador, V. Bonache & J. C. García

  3. Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Kraków, Poland

    J. Morgiel & J. Grzonka

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  1. E. Sánchez
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  2. E. Bannier
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  3. M. D. Salvador
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  4. V. Bonache
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  5. J. C. García
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  6. J. Morgiel
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  7. J. Grzonka
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Correspondence to E. Bannier.

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Sánchez, E., Bannier, E., Salvador, M.D. et al. Microstructure and Wear Behavior of Conventional and Nanostructured Plasma-Sprayed WC-Co Coatings. J Therm Spray Tech 19, 964–974 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-010-9480-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-010-9480-5

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