Carbide Dissolution/Carbon Loss as a Function of Spray Distance in Unshrouded/Shrouded Plasma Sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr Coatings

Thermal spraying of Cr3C2-NiCr composites generates varying degrees of carbide dissolution into the Ni binder. During high-temperature exposure, the carbide dissolution zones precipitate high concentrations of small carbides which develop into finely structured networks. This raises the possibility of producing unique tailored carbide composite structures through the generation of controlled carbide dissolution and appropriate heat treatment. The first step in this process is to produce a supersaturated Ni-Cr-C solid solution from which the carbide phase could be precipitated. In a previous work, a broad range of plasma parameters were trialed to assess their effect on the degree of carbide dissolution at a fixed spray distance of 100 mm. The current two-part work builds on the most promising plasma parameters from those trials. In Part 1 of this two-part article series, the effect of spray distance on the extent of carbide dissolution and carbon loss during high energy plasma spraying was investigated. The effectiveness of solid shield and gas shrouding is contrasted, and the mechanisms by which they influence the degree of decarburization discussed.