Solvus Global

May 5, 20212 min

Effect of WC-Ni Powder Composition and Preparation on Cold Spray Performance

Updated: May 6, 2021

by Joseph Heelan1,*, Sean M. Langan1, Caitlin Walde1, Aaron Nardi2, Matthew Siopis2, Robert Barth3, Timothy Landry3, and Aaron Birt1

1 Solvus Global, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
 
2 US Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD 21005, USA
 
3 Raytheon Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, CT 06108, USA
 
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Coatings 2020, 10(12), 1196; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10121196

Received: 14 November 2020 / Revised: 3 December 2020 / Accepted: 4 December 2020 / Published: 8 December 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments of Cold Spray Coating)

Abstract

Toxic metal reduction is at the forefront of many design considerations today; additive manufacturing has the ability to combine materials in ways other traditional processes cannot and has the potential to offer unique solutions to reduce hazardous materials needed in manufacturing. Tungsten carbide (WC) has been used as a substitute in wear applications where toxic processes are traditionally utilized, but it can be difficult to deposit high-quality, hard and durable coatings. Additionally, there is a need to apply WC coatings on surfaces not feasible with the current processes. Cold spray, a solid-state directed powder deposition process, is effective at depositing carbides, though powders must be thoughtfully designed to achieve desired mechanical properties. In this study, WC was investigated as a hard chrome alternative for wear applications. Various blend ratios and preparation methods were evaluated as feedstock powder and then sprayed. Feedstock characteristics were compared to cold spray performance. Cold spray consolidations were evaluated for coating porosity and hardness. It was found that when powder make-up and composition were optimized, a high-hardness and low-porosity material was made that will contribute to the reduction in dependency of Cr in wear-facing components. View Full-Text


 
Keywords: tungsten carbide; nickel; cold spray; wear; hardness; deposition efficiency

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To view the Effect of WC-Ni Powder Composition and Preparation on Cold Spray Performance article in its entirety, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6412/10/12/1196 or download the MDPI Coatings Journal pdf file for the full-text article.