| A high-deposition rate thermal spray method was investigated for the purpose of coating aluminum cylinder bores with a wear resistant surface. This method, the plasma rotating electrode coating system (PROTEC) utilized transferred-arc melting of a rapidly rotating consumable electrode to create a droplet stream via centrifugal atomization. A cylindrical substrate was placed around the rotating rod, in the flight path of the droplets, to deposit a coating onto the internal surface of the cylinder. Selected coatings of 1045 steel deposited by the PROTEC coating method exhibited lower wear loss in lubricated sliding than wire-arc sprayed carbon steel coatings and gray cast iron.; Splat cohesion was shown to be a significant factor in the wear resistance of PROTEC coatings. The relationship between deposition enthalpy and cooling rate of the coating was found to have the greatest effect on coating microstructure, and the coating cohesion. The most rapidly solidified coatings showed inferior splat cohesion in comparison to coatings that cooled more slowly. The increase in splat cohesion with decreased cooling rate was accompanied by the formation of a directionally oriented coating microstructure, likely formed during cellular solidification of the coating. A model describing the thermal state of the deposition process was used to predict the deposition conditions that would result in a cellular structure, and the level of splat cohesion required to produce a wear resistant coating. |
