Sliding wear evaluation of hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) thermal spray cermet coatings

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of applying hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) as a post-treatment to thermally sprayed wear resistant cermet coatings. The relative performance of the as-sprayed and hot isostatically pressed functionally graded WC-NiCrBSi coatings was investigated in sliding wear conditions. Coatings were deposited using a high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF)-JP-5000 system, and HIPed without any encapsulation at temperatures of 850 and 1200degreesC. The influence of post-treatment temperature on the coating's wear resistance was thus investigated. Sliding wear tests were carried out using a high frequency reciprocating ball on plate rig using steel and ceramic balls under two different loads. Results are discussed in terms of microstructural investigations, phase transformations, mechanical properties, and residual stress investigations. The results indicated significant alteration of the coating microstructure, brought about by the coating post-treatment, particularly when carried out at the higher temperature of 1200degreesC. As a consequence, developments in the coating mechanical properties took place that led to higher wear resistance of the HIPed coatings. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.