Effect of Powder Oxidation on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Cold-Sprayed Nickel Coatings and Improvement by Post-spray Heat Treatment

This study investigated the effect of powder pre-oxidation on the microstructures and mechanical properties of cold-sprayed nickel coatings. The artificially pre-oxidized nickel powders at 200, 300 and 400 degrees C for 5 h show the resulting oxygen contents of 0.27, 0.36 and 0.41 wt.%, as compared to 0.21 wt.% in the feedstock powder. Microstructurally, the higher oxygen contents of the impact particles significantly increased in both the number and size of the pores in the as-sprayed coatings by using the pe-oxidized powders, as a result of the porosities of 0.7, 1.5 and 3.3% compared to 0.4% by using the as-atomized powder (natural oxidation condition). Mechanically, the increased oxygen contents of powders result in the reduced properties for the as-sprayed Ni coatings, as the microhardness of 263.2 HV0.1, 245.3 HV0.1 and 236.3 HV0.1 and the tensile strength of 94, 76 and 61 MPa by using oxidized powders compared to those of 289.2 HV0.1 and 208 MPa by using natural oxidation powder. In addition, post-spray heat treatment at 800 degrees C for 2 h effectively reduces the small-sized pores and nonbonded particle-particle boundaries within the coatings, which is attributed to a combination effect of annealing twins and dislocation slip during heat treatment. As a result, the microhardness significantly decreased to 135.3 HV0.1, 126.7 HV0.1, 124.5 HV0.1 and 114.7 HV0.1, while the tensile strength is increased to 210, 166, 133 and 117 MPa, respectively.