The effects of SiC particles on the microstructure and hardness of cold sprayed Al-SiC composite coating

With the development of the applications of magnesium components in many industries, relatively low corrosion and wear resistance of this alloy leads to the development of different protective layers. In this paper, the effect of SiC reinforcement on the cold spraying behavior of Al-SiC powder on a magnesium alloy substrate is addressed. The pure Al powder is blended with different amount of SiC powder including 25, 50 and 75 wt.%. The feedstock is sprayed on sand blasted AZ31B substrate. The process is carried out with 30bar pressure and 300°C temperature of process gas (Nitrogen). A 20mm standoff distance is used for spraying. The effect of different values of SiC on the deposition behavior of the Al-SiC powders are investigated. The coatings cross-section is evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, image analysis software and microhardness test. The results showed that the high velocity reinforcement particles leads to the SiC particle breaking during the process. This phenomenon increases the porosity of the coating. Furthermore, the higher value of reinforcement in initial powder leads to the homogenous distribution of them and the higher coating hardness. The hardness of the Al-75wt% SiC coating is about 90 HV, which is increased by 80% compared to pure Al coating microhardness.