Wear behaviour of coatings of aluminium matrix composites fabricated by thermal spray method

In this work, the wear behaviour of coatings made of aluminium matrix composites reinforced with 20% of SiC particles and manufactured by thermal spray method with oxyacetylene flame has been investigated. The wear behaviour between coatings with uncoated particles and sol-gel silica coated ones heat treated at 500 degrees C and 725 degrees C have been compared. The sprayed coatings with silica coated particles are more homogenous and less porous due to increase of wettability by molten aluminium that takes place on coated particles. The microstructure of the sprayed coatings, the wear surfaces and the wear debris have been anlysed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and micro-analysis techniques (EDX). The results show a smaller wear rate, a lower friction coefficient and more reduced loss of mass for the coatings sprayed with particles with sol-gel silica coatings than those made with uncoated particles.