Thermal

Spraying
Processes

Created by: Anas Jasim Mohammed Ali

Supervised by: Prof. Dr. Ahmed H. Alghaban
Overview :
Thermal spray is a generic term for a group of
coating processes used to apply metallic or
nonmetallic coatings. These processes are
grouped into three major categories: flame spray,
electric arc spray, and plasma arc spray.
These energy sources are used to heat the
coating material (in powder, wire, or rod form) to a
molten or semi-molten state. (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Generic thermal spray

process. Source: TAFA, a
division of Praxair Surface
Technologies Inc.
Microstructure:
The high particle temperatures and
speeds achieved result in significant
droplet deformation on impact at a
surface, producing thin layers or
lamellae, often called “splats,” that
conform and adhere to the substrate
surface.
particle by particle, with rapid cooling,
forming Individual splats generally
thin(~1 to 20 μm). to form uniform, very
Fig. 2 SEM of fractography of an APS W coating.
fine-grained, polycrystalline coatings or (a) Lamellar microstructure.
deposits. Figure 2 (b) Presence of a columnar grain structure within the splats.
Source: S.J. Bull, AEA
Technology
Sprayed deposits usually contain :
(especially in powder feedstock)
▪ porosity, typically between (0 - ~10%)
▪ unmelted or partially melted particles
▪ fully melted and deformed “splats,”
metastable phases
▪ oxides

Use of wire and rod feedstock materials

produces shear molten material from the
parent wire or rod because of nonuniform Fig. 3 Schematic of a typical thermal spray
heating and unpredictable drag forces powder process

Note:- Oxides may increase coating

hardness and wear resistance and may
provide lubricity.
Coating
Processes:
Combustion spray:
• Flame spray:
Uses the heat generated from
combustion of a fuel gas (acetylene,
propylene, propane, hydrogen) and
oxygen mixture to heat the consumable,
either a wire or powder. Compressed
air/inert gas or aventuri effect, is used to
propel the consumable towards the
substrate.

These coatings can exhibit low bond

Fig. 4 Powder flame spray system
strength, high oxide content and high
porosity. The process has a moderate
spray rate and low cost
• Detonation Gun
Spraying:
In the detonation gun process, pre-
encapsulated
“shots” of feedstock powder are fed into a 1 m
long barrel along with oxygen and a fuel gas,
typically acetylene with presence of Nitrogen. A
spark ignites the mixture and produces a
controlled explosion that propagates down the
length of the barrel. The high temperatures and
pressures
( 1MPa ) that are generated blast the particles
out of the end of the barrel toward the
substrate. Very high bond strengths and
densities as well as low oxide contents can be
achieved using this process.
Fig. 5 Detonation gun system (D-Gun). Courtesy of Praxair Surface
Technologies
The cycle of purging, injection, and detonation
is repeated at a frequency of 3 to 6 Hz.
Detonation
High particle velocities, greater than 800 m/s
• High-Velocity Oxyfuel Spray
(HVOF):
In HVOF, a fuel gas (such as hydrogen,
propane, or propylene) and oxygen are used to
create a combustion jet at temperatures of
2500 to 3100 °C . The combustion takes place
internally at very high chamber pressures,
exiting through a small diameter (typically 8 to
9 mm, or barrel to generate a supersonic gas
jet with very high particle speeds.

The process results in extremely dense,

wellbonded coatings, making it attractive for
many applications. Either powder or wire
feedstock can be sprayed, at typical rates of
2.3 to 14 kg/h.

Fig. 6 High-velocity oxyfuel gun features

Electric Arc Spray:
is the process with highest productivity. A DC
electric arc is struck between two consumable
wire electrodes which melt to form the spray
material. Compressed gas is used to atomize
the wires and propel the droplets towards the
substrate.

Higher bond strengths, and spray rates, are

achieved compared to flame spraying.
However, it produces arc light, ozone and fume
(like welding) which may cause difficulties in
some situations.

Substrate temperatures can be very low,

because no hot jet of gas is directed toward the Fig. 7 Electric arc spray process
substrate. Electric arc spraying also can be
carried out using inert gases or in a controlled-
atmosphere chamber.
Plasma Arc Spray:
The conventional plasma spray process is commonly
referred to as air or atmospheric plasma spray (APS).
Plasma temperatures in the powder heating region range
from about 6000 to 15,000 °C. To generate the plasma,
an inert gas typically argon or an argon-hydrogen mixture
—is superheated by a DC arc. Powder feedstock is
introduced via an inert carrier gas and is accelerated
toward the workpiece by the plasma jet. Provisions for
cooling or regulating the spray rate may be required to
maintain substrate temperatures in the
95 to 205 °C

Spray rate depends on : gun design, plasma gases,

powder injection schemes, and materials properties,
particularly particle characteristics such as size,
distribution, melting point, morphology, and apparent
density. Fig. 8 Plasma Arc Processes
Cold Spraying:
A gas is introduced through a system containing a gas heater and powder-metering
device. The pressurized gas is heated to a preset temperature. The gas is heated not to
heat or soften spray particles, but instead to achieve higher sonic flow velocities. The
high-pressure gas (Ni-He,Air.. Ni preferred) is introduced into the converging section.
Sonic gas De laval nozzel
Supersonic gas
The gas cools as it expands in the
spray nozzle, often exiting the spray
gun at below ambient temperature
Low to no Oxygen content in
ambient
Very low oxidation (post-Impact)
Low porosity
Well bonded surface
Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of a cold spray system
Fig. 10 Repair of thermal-sprayed steel tooling using a
cold-sprayed steel intermediate layer on which a
conventional weld bead was deposited.
Spraying Method to control
microstructure:
• spray particles should impact the target surface as
close to normal (90°) as possible (Fig. 11a and b). The
minimum acceptable impact angle is 45° to the target
area. A 45° spray angle impact should be used only as
a last resort. To avoid formation of porosity. (Fig. 12)

Fig. 11 Thermal
Fig. 12 effect of thermal spraying angle
spraying work angle
• chamfer or radius the corners before
spraying. Sharp 90° corners capture loose
spray particles, dust, and debris and leave
large porous areas.

• the edge of a sprayed coating applied

should be chamfered or radiused. Typically,
0.75 mm radii or 45° chamfers are
recommended. To increase area (decrease
stress concentration)
• Choosing suitable particle size and
morphologies. ( minimize particle
evaporation)
• suitable particle characteristics (enhance
particle flow)
• Selecting proper torch path (avoid Fig. 13 Design of substrate
geometry for thermal spray
randomness) coating processes
• Fuel/gas ratio (for proper velocity and
temperature)
• Spray distance (minimize oxidation)
• Proper feeding speed (for spread condition)
Thanks for
listening