The processing of vacuum plasma-sprayed tungsten–copper composite coatings for high heat flux components

This study investigates the effect of different vacuum plasma spraying conditions on the deposition of composite tungsten–copper coatings. Three different powder conditions were used: copper coated tungsten powder (d50=55 μm W+a 8-μm thick layer of Cu), a pre-mixed powder of tungsten (75 wt.%, d50=5.5 μm) and copper (25 wt.%, d50=35 μm) and the same initial powders of the pre-mixed powder, but not mixed until injected separately to the plasma plume. Additionally, the influence of transferred arc cleaning was studied in all three cases.