Erosion properties of Fe based amorphous/nanocrystalline coatings prepared by wire arc spraying process

Fe-Cr-B-Si-Mn-Nb-Y and Fe-B-Si-Nb-Cr amorphous/nanocrystalline coatings were fabricated by wire arc spray process. The microstructure and phase compositions of the coatings were characterised by means of SEM, EDAX and XRD. The formation mechanism of amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase was discussed. The elevated temperature erosion behaviour of the coatings was also investigated using an air solid particle erosion rig. The microstructures of the coatings consist of amorphous phase and alpha-(Fe, Cr) nanocrystalline phase. Both coatings are fully dense with low porosity. The coatings exhibit better erosion resistance at lower impact angles. With increasing erosion temperature, the erosion rates of the coatings decrease. The Fe-B-Si-Nb-Cr coating has better elevated temperature erosion resistance than that of the Fe-Cr-B-Si-Mn-Nb-Y coating.