Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured and Conventional TiAlN and AlCrN Coatings on ASTM-SA210 Grade A-1 Boiler Steel
Nanostructured and conventional TiAlN and AlCrN coatings were deposited on ASTM-SA210 Grade A-1 boiler steel. The present work has been focused to characterize the conventional thick (by plasma spraying and gas nitrided) and nanostructured thin (by physical vapor deposition process) TiAlN and AlCrN coatings developed on ASTM-SA210 Grade A-1 boiler steel. The surface morphology of the coated samples was studied using FE-SEM with EDAX attachment, XRD analysis, AFM analysis, and the X-ray mapping analysis. The presence of metal nitride phases as identified by XRD analysis indicates that the desired coatings were successfully developed. The bond strength, surface roughness, and microhardness of the gas nitrided plasma sprayed conventional coatings were measured. A good adhesion of the conventional thick TiAlN and AlCrN coatings was evident from bond test results. 1. Introduction The boiler components are subjected to various types of degradation phenomenon such as high-temperature corrosion, erosion corrosion, overheating, solid particle abrasion and wear. High-temperature oxidation and erosion caused by the impact of fly ashes and unburnt carbon particles are the main problems to solve in these applications. Therefore, the development of wear and high-temperature oxidation protection systems in industrial boilers is a very important topic from both engineering and an economic perspective [1, 2]. Present materials being capable of resisting erosive and corrosive environments are highly alloyed and thus expensive. In search for cost-effective solutions for erosion-corrosion problems, the effective method of erosion-corrosion prevention is to coat the alloy with a protective layer, which has been used in the current investigation. The high-temperature protection system must meet several criteria: that is, it should provide adequate environmental resistance, be chemically and mechanically compatible with the substrate, and be practically applicable, reliable, and economically attractive [3]. The primary aim of the coating/surface treatment is the ability to produce a stable, slow-growing surface oxide providing a barrier between the coated alloy and the environment [4]. Recent studies show that 80% of the total cost for the protection of metals is related to coating application [5, 6]. According to DeMasi-Marcin and Gupta [7], physical vapor deposition and plasma spray (a thermal spray process) have been reported to be two major coating processing technologies which are used worldwide. The PVD processes have been successful in improving mechanical properties
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