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U.S. Department of Energy
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The effect of microstructure on the wear behavior of thermal spray coatings

Book ·
OSTI ID:160422
;  [1]
  1. General Motors Corp., Warren, MI (United States)

Thermal spray coatings are being considered as an alternative to the use of cast iron liners in aluminum engine blocks in the automotive industry. In this research, the coatings are applied directly to the cylinder bore by means of a rotating spray gun. A bench wear test has been developed in which parts of real components are tested (cylinder liners and piston rings) so that the geometry, metallurgy, and representative surface finishes of the engine can be preserved and evaluated. The wear mechanism observed in the thermal spray coatings is a combination of surface fatigue and splat delamination. This paper describes the wear behavior of several thermal spray coatings, and compares them to a gray cast iron, a 390 aluminum alloy and a Nikasil{reg_sign} coating, with emphasis on microstructural effects.

OSTI ID:
160422
Report Number(s):
CONF-940684--; ISBN 0-87170-509-5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English