WEAR RESISTANCE OF PLASMA COATINGS IN INTENSIVE ABRASIVE WEAR CONDITIONS

Abstract

The abrasive wear resistance of plasma-sprayed oxide ceramic (Al₂O₃, and Cr₂O₃) and clad cermet ((Ti–Cr–C)–30% Ni and (TiC)–30% Ni) coatings was studied. The wear characteristics of the coatings such as wear rates, friction forces, friction coefficients, and wear groove depth determined with two techniques were compared. The wear test techniques included modeling of the friction process in the presence of nonrigidly fixed abrasive particles and reciprocal friction in the ball-on-disk configuration using a diamond indenter. The plasma-sprayed TiC-based coatings showed the lowest wear rate and can be applied to protect equipment parts subjected to intensive abrasive wear. The wear loss of the (Ti–Cr–C)–30% Ni and (TiC)–30% Ni coatings determined by friction against loose abrasive particles was 10–17 μm, while the wear loss of the oxide ceramic coatings was 20–42 μm, being 2–2.5 times higher on average.