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Erosion Behaviour of CVD TiB Coatings on 2

TiB -based Ceramic Substrates in

2

High-velocity Coal-oil Slurries*

C. B. Finch**, V . J . Tennery** and R. M. Curlee***
**Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box X , O a k Ridge, T N 37830, U S A
***Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, N M 87115, U S A

ABSTRACT

The erosion behaviour of CVD TiB2 coatings deposited on T1B2 ceramic

substrates was studied via impingement of a liquid stream containing 8 wt %
of coal-derived (SRC-1) solids in anthracene oil upon the CVD surface and
compared with erosion of a high-density uncoated T i B 2 ceramic specimen.

Erosive exposure of all specimens was conducted at ~350°C for 1 h at a

liquid flow velocity of 100 m/s and an incidence angle of 20° between the
liquid jet and the specimen surfaces. These conditions simulate those pre-
sent in pressure let-down valves in direct coal liquefaction processes. The
principal materials variables included the microstructure and composition of
the T i B 2 ceramic substrates, while the CVD coatings were all deposited under
identical conditions at 900°C from T i C l 4 and B C I 3 . The deposited CVD coat-
ings, which were ~50 pm thick, exhibited strong preferred orientation as
determined by X-ray diffraction. Relative erosion resistance was assessed
by determining the maximum depth of the erosion crater formed in the T i B 2
surface at the point of jet impingement. For the four CVD coatings exposed,
the maximum crater depth values were 0, 1.5, 5.5, and 5.5 pm, while the
uncoated specimen had a depth of ~22 pn. Prior work had shown that only
consolidated or single-crystal diamond provided zero crater depths under
these conditions. The outstanding erosion resistance of the CVD coatings
was apparently related to the crystallographic texture produced in them when
they were deposited on the T i B 2 ceramic substrates.

KEYWORDS

CVD, TiB2» coal-oil slurry erosion

INTRODUCTION

Chemical vapour deposited (CVD) TiB2 coatings have been proposed for use
under highly erosive conditions in coal conversion plants, as well as for
other uses such as parts in fusion reactors and cutting tools for metal
machining (Pierson and Randich, 1978). In spite of the high hardness of the
material (VHN-3333), experience to date reveals variable erosion behaviour
during exposure under simulated coal liquefaction let-down valve conditions

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