Mechanical and Tribological Behavior of Ni(Al)-Reinforced Nanocomposite Plasma Spray Coatings

The mechanical and tribological behavior and microstructural evolutions of the Ni(Al)-reinforced nanocomposite plasma spray coatings were studied. At first, the feedstock Ni(Al)-15 wt.% (Al2O3-13% TiO2) nanocomposite powders were prepared using low-energy mechanical milling of the pure Ni and Al powders as well as Al2O3-13% TiO2 nanoparticle mixtures. The characteristics of the powder particles and the prepared coatings depending on their microstructures were examined in detail. The results showed that the feedstock powders after milling contained only α-Ni solid solution with no trace of the intermetallic phase. However, under the air plasma spraying conditions, the NiAl intermetallic phase in the α-Ni solid solution matrix appeared. The lack of nickel aluminide formation during low-energy ball milling is beneficial hence, the exothermic reaction can occur between Ni and Al during plasma spraying, improving the adhesive strength of the nanocomposite coatings. The results also indicated that the microhardness of the α-Ni phase was 3.91 ± 0.23 GPa and the NiAl intermetallic phase had a mean microhardness of 5.69 ± 0.12 GPa. The high microhardness of the nanocomposite coatings must be due to the presence of the reinforcing nanoparticles. Due to the improvement in mechanical properties, the Ni(Al) nanocomposite coatings showed significant modifications in wear resistance with low frictional coefficient.