Cr2C3–NiCr VPS thermal spray coatings as candidate for chromium replacement

The present investigation has been carried out with the aim of determining the tribological behavior of a VPS chromium carbide coating both in the as-deposited and heat-treated conditions. A commercial powder of Cr2C3–25% NiCr was sprayed employing a VPS system (Medicoat AG, Switzerland) onto plain low carbon steel coupons. The samples were subsequently annealed for 2 h at 600 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C in Ar. The microstructural characterization was carried out by using SEM and XRD before and after the heat treatment of the samples. SEM observations were employed for determining the degradation mechanisms that took place during the wear tests. When the coated systems rubbed against alumina under a 5 N normal load in air, a progressive change in the mechanism, from a mixed adhesive and abrasive, to a predominant abrasive was observed, as the heat treatment temperature increased. The wear constants were found to be of the order of approximately 10− 6 mm3/N.m, which indicates a wear resistance of nearly 4 times higher in comparison with the wear results reported in the literature for similar coating systems obtained by employing HVOF deposition. However, the heat treatment carried out at 900 °C brought about only 20% increase in the sliding wear resistance of the coated system.