A mechanistic approach to extract the mechanical properties of individual constituents in plasma-sprayed metal matrix composite coatings

A mechanistic approach to determine the in-situ properties of individual constituents in a plasma sprayed metal matrix composite (MMC) coating was proposed. The approach was based on micro-indentation and inverse analysis techniques. Utilising the indentation data obtained from the micro-indentation experiments, elastic moduli of each constituent were calculated using a well-established method whereas yield strength and hardening exponent were extracted using the inverse procedure based on finite element analysis. Finite element results gave a satisfactory agreement between the numerically simulated and the measured indentation load–depth curves. Further studies using three dimensional finite element analyses of Vickers indentation on the MMC coating based on its actual microstructure also showed that the indentation behaviour of the MMC coatings is strongly dependent on its morphology, volume fraction, size and distribution of the reinforcing phase.