Research on Thermal Properties and High Temperature Exposure Behavior of Non-Skid Coating Fabricated by Twin Wire Arc Spraying

Conventional non-skid coatings for marine construction contain polymeric materials. These materials are generally susceptible to high temperature environments because of their low thermal conductivity and thermal resistance. A metal-based non-skid coating has great potential for high temperature applications, yet, there has only been limited research. In this study, twin wire arc spray (TWAS) was used to fabricate Al and Al-3%Ti coatings on a high strength low alloyed (HSLA) steel substrate. The purpose of this study is to confirm the feasibility of TWAS Al-based coating for non-skid areas on marine construction. The static coefficient friction of TWAS Al-based coatings exhibited excellent and uniform values compared with a conventional epoxy-based non-skid coating. The specific heat and thermal conductivity of TWAS Al-based coating was measured and compared with that of the substrate. The thermal property values of the TWAS Al-based coating were reported for the first time in this study. The TWAS Al-based coating had A continuous interface with the substrate and the general microstructural features of a thermal-sprayed metal coating. After exposure to 500oC for 24 hours, the an Fe-Al intermetallic compound and oxide were formed inside of the coating and coating-substrate interface. The adhesion strength indicated that the TWAS Al-based coating sustained its strength after the isothermal exposure test. The Vickers hardness of the TWAS Al-3%Ti coating was higher than that of the Al coating. The solid solution hardening of Ti atoms in the as-deposited coating and the precipitation hardening of the TiAl3 compound in the heat-treated coating contributed to the improvement of in Vickers hardness. Thus, the TWAS Al-3%Ti coating is proven to be a promising non-skid coating for high temperature applications.