Chapter-4

Results and discussion

4.1. Porosity The measured surface porosity of the HVOF as-sprayed NiCr coating and NiCr coating heat treated on the T347H steel is found to be in the range of -3!" The high degree of flattening and #ery less splat fragmentation during HVOF spraying of NiCr po$ders contribute for the less porosity #alue in the as deposited coating" %n increase in &inetic energy of the po$der particles $ould also reduce the porosity in the deposit" 'ense coatings usually pro#ide better corrosion resistance than the porous coatings" The measured #alues of porosity for the coatings are almost in agreement $ith the findings of (idhu et al )* and Hidalgo et al )* " 4.2. Coating Thickness and Surface roughness (Ra) Thic&ness of the NiCr coating on T347H substrate $as measured on the polished crosssections of the samples+ using an optical microscope" Fi#e readings $ere ta&en on each specimen and the a#erage #alue is reported as 3,-.m" The coating surface $as #ery rough in the as-coated condition due to the presence of melted+ unmelted and partially melted particles" The surface roughness #alues for as-sprayed NiCr sample is 7"/00.m and for NiCr heat-treated is 7"770 .m" 4. . !icrohardness of the coatings 1n many aggressi#e en#ironments+ protecti#e coatings may ha#e to encounter the problems of erosion-corrosion degradation" The softer coatings are more susceptible to erosion corrosion mode of degradation" The microhardness profiles along the cross section of the as-coated and heat-treated NiCr coating on T347H steel as a function of distance from the coating-substrate interface is sho$n in Fig"4 2a3" The microhardness of the substrate+ NiCr coating and NiCr coating heat-treated $as found to be in the range of 4/- /,H#+ 3/--4/-HV and 3---/--H# respecti#ely" This difference in hardness #alues of the coating along the distance is due to the presence of porosity+ unmelted+ melted+ and partially melted particles+ and o5ide inclusions in the coatings" %n increase in hardness

#alue of coating $ith depth is attributed to the presence of o5ide and the lo$er hardness #alue in some location of the coating may be due to the slight amount of porosity" Ho$e#er+ the strength of the coating also depends on process #ariables such as high &inetic energy and thermal energy of the particles+ $hich increases the splat6splat interaction for the impro#ed adhesion bet$een interlayer and intersplats" The 7ne globular grain morphology of the splats contributes for the higher hardness #alues of HVOF sprayed coatings" The microhardness #alues of the coatings ha#e been compared $ith those reported by (undarara8an et al )* and Hidalgo et al )* and are found to be in similar range" Further slight increase in microhardness #alue of heat-treated NiCr coating+ might be due to the formation of o5ides of Ni and Cr as the o5ides are reported to be hard" Further the formation of o5ide of Ni and Cr after heat treatment is also reported by 9:' 2Fig" 4e3"

Fig" 42a3 ;icrohardness profiles for HVOF sprayed NiCr coated and heat-treated on T347H steel"

4.4. S"!#"$%& analysis 4"4"4 (urface analysis for as-sprayed NiCr coating F<-(<; micrographs of HVOF sprayed NiCr as-sprayed coating and NiCr heat treated on T347H steel is sho$n in Fig"4 2b3 and Fig"4 2c3" (ome melted+ semi-melted and unmelted particles can also be seen in the microstructure of the coating" Coatings possess some #oids and o5ide inclusions that are typical characteristics of the HVOF sprayed coatings" =y and large the coatings ha#e dense interloc&ed structure" 1n case of assprayed NiCr coating 2Fig"4b3 splat boundaries are #ery distinct and some fragmented particles can be seen in the microstructure of coating $hich might due to high impact #elocity of HVOF spray process $hereas in case of NiCr coating $ith heat-treatment+ microstructure 2Fig"4c3 appeared to be denser and uniform $ith intermi5ed grain boundaries" The splat formed in both cases appeared to be flat+ $hich is the desired structure of the coatings+ indented for operation in corrosion en#ironment at high temperature"
"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )Cr )Cr 1-.21. 1-.21. 1.22/i 1.22/i --.+1.14.04Totals --.+1.14.04Totals 1++.++ 1++.++

"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )%to'ic )%to'ic )Co'pd )Co'pd )*or'ulaCr )*or'ulaCr 2+. 2+. +2,.,,-4. +2,.,,-4. -C -C .2/i-,.,+ .2/i-,.,+ .0,12. .0,12. 4-%l2. 4-%l2. . . .1 .1 .41 .41 1 1 .1,Si.2.,,.21 .1,Si.2.,,.21 ,,.+2Totals1++.++ ,,.+2Totals1++.++ "le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )Cr22.12/i )Cr22.12/i - .-2. .-2. .,2/i .,2/i 0. 0. 1.,4.04Totals1 1.,4.04Totals1 ++.++ ++.++

"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight ). ). -.+4Cr22.02/i-+.+ -.+4Cr22.02/i-+.+ -%l -%l 1.+-Si 1.+-Si 2.12S 2.12S 1.+1Cl 1.+1Cl +.443 +.443 1.+-Ca 1.+-Ca 1. 1. +Cr +Cr 1.1 1.1 *e *e 1.++/i 1.++/i 1., 1., .,1.0+Totals1 .,1.0+Totals1 ++.++ ++.++ "le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )/i-0.11. )/i-0.11. .+2Cr .+2Cr 10.+0.,1.11Totals 10.+0.,1.11Totals 1++.++ 1++.++

"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )Cr )Cr 12.+0.1.12/i-2.+ 12.+0.1.12/i-2.+ 4Si 4Si .+23 .+23 1.1+Cr 1.1+Cr +.0-*e +.0-*e 1.1.- /i /i 1.1,.,,. 1.1,.,,. -Totals1 -Totals1 ++.++ ++.++

Fig"4 2b3 (urface morphology and <'%9 analysis for NiCr coated T347H steel in as sprayed condition

The <'%9 analysis at some selected points for as-sprayed NiCr coating 2Fig"4f3 indicates the dominance of Ni and Cr in the composition of coating" This composition is nearly approaching the composition of sprayed po$der" ;inor amount of o5ygen in the coating composition+ indicates that chances of formation of o5ides in the coating are #ery less" 'espite the high >ualities of HVOF coatings+ formations of o5ides during HVOF spraying may affect the performance of the coatings in corrosion en#ironment as suggested by (idhu et al ) *" 4"4" (urface analysis for NiCr coating after heat treatment <'%9 analysis of NiCr coating after heat treatment 2Fig"4c3 sho$s the presence of nic&el+ chromium along $ith o5ygen in the composition of the coating" The presence of o5ygen indicates the formation of o5ides of Ni and Cr after heat treatment" The assprayed coating possessed a typical splat li&e morphology+ $hich is similar to that reported by ?aur ; et al ) *"
"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )C )C 2+.2+Ca 2+.2+Ca +.,,Cr +.,,Cr 2.+4/i 2.+4/i -. -. 1.,2.+2Totals 1.,2.+2Totals 1++.++ 1++.++

"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )Cr )Cr ,0.42. ,0.42. 1.10Total 1.10Total s1++.++ s1++.++

"le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )C )C 2,.14Si 2,.14Si +.4+S +.4+S +.2 +.2 Cl Cl +.1 +.1 3 3 +.24Ca +.24Ca +. +. 1Cr 1Cr "le'ent(eight "le'ent(eight )%to'ic )%to'ic )Co'pd )Co'pd )*or'ulaC )*or'ulaC 10.122,.0 10.122,.0 ,,. ,,. 0 0 C.2Cr C.2Cr 21.2+-.42 21.2+-.42 2.+1C 2.+1C r2. r2. /i /i 1.2-+. 1.2-+. 01.,1/i. 01.,1/i. .10.-2,1.22Tota .10.-2,1.22Tota ls1++.++ ls1++.++ 1.+1.-1.+2Totals 1.+1.-1.+2Totals 1++.++ 1++.++

Fig"42c3 (urface morphology and <'%9 analysis for NiCr coated Heat-treated T347H steel in as sprayed condition

4.1 &R$ %nalysis 4"/"4 %s-sprayed NiCr coating The 9:' analysis of the as sprayed NiCr coating indicates the formation of Ni as the main phase along $ith Cr Fig"4 2d3"

Fig" 42d3" 9-ray diffraction for the NiCr coating on T347H steel in as-sprayed condition

4"/" NiCr coating after heat treatment @hereas 9:' analysis of NiCr coating after heat treatment on T347H steel 2Fig"4e3 re#eals Cr+ Ni+ Cr O3 and NiO minor phases $ith Ni and Cr as the main phases" The formation of o5ides of Ni and Cr might ha#e ta&en place $hile heat treatment of the NiCr coating"

Fig"42e3 9-ray diffraction for the NiCr coating heat treated on T347H steel in as-sprayed condition

4., Cross-sectional 'icrostructure 4"0"4 %s-sprayed NiCr coating The cross-sectional images of the HVOF as-sprayed NiCr coating and NiCr coating heat treated on T347H steel is sho$n in Fig"4 2f3 and Fig"4 2g3" The coating has a dense appearance+ in general" The coating-substrate interface is+ by and large+ intact and continuous+ $hich is a characteristic feature of good adhesion bet$een the coating and the substrate" Aorosity and inclusions are also clearly obser#ed in the HVOF sprayed NiCr coating+ Fig" 42f3" Cross-sectional <'%9 analysis of the NiCr coating $as carried out at different points along the cross-section and the results are sho$n in fig"4 2f3"

Fig" 42f3 Aoint of analysis for NiCr as-sprayed coating on T347H steel

The points 4+ /+ and 0th sho$ the presence of high percentage of iron $ith some percentage of Cr and Ni and some other elements in the minor amount $hich represents the composition of the base substrate material" Aoint 4+ + and 3 sho$s the high presence of Ni and Cr $ith minor amount of other elements" This represents the nominal

composition of coating+ $hich contains Ni,-!Cr -!" %t point 3 some minor amount of ;o is depicted $hich may be due to diffusion of ;o from the substrate to$ards the coating" Aoint sho$s the presence of silicon and carbon $hich may be the particles of silicon carbide $hich might ha#e retained in the asperities of the coating $hite polishing" 4"0" NiCr coating heat-treated in as-sprayed condition (<;B<'%9 analysis of the NiCr coating after heat-treatment 2Fig"4g3 sho$s the dense continues and uniform microstructure of the coating" (ome inclusions can be obser#ed at the coating substrate interface+ $hich might be alumina particles retained on the surface of specimen $hile grit blasting prior to the deposition of the coating" Aoints 4+ po$der used" and 3 indicate the rich presence of Ni along $ith Cr $hich represents the composition of alloy

Fig 42g3 Aoint of analysis for NiCr heat treated as-sprayed coating on T347H steel

Aoints 4 and / sho$s the presence of iron along $ith Ni and Cr $hich represents the composition of substrate material+ minor amount of Nb and ;o can be depicted at points

4+

and 3 $hich might be due to diffusion of alloying elements from substrate to$ards

the coating"