Microstructure, Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Cold Sprayed Fe-Based Metallic Glass Coatings

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Metallurgy

Background:

• Iron-based metallic glasses offer excellent properties like high strength, corrosion resistance, and magnetic characteristics.
• Cold spraying is a promising technique for depositing amorphous coatings due to rapid cooling and minimal thermal impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the production of amorphous iron-based metallic glass coatings using cold spraying.
• To evaluate the influence of different substrates (steel vs. aluminum alloy) on coating properties.

Main Methods:

• Cold spraying of commercially available iron-based metallic glass powder.
• Microstructural analysis, phase composition determination, microhardness testing, flexural strength evaluation, and wear behavior assessment.
• Tribological testing using a Si3N4 ball.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced thick, dense amorphous coatings with minimal porosity.
• Coatings on steel substrates demonstrated higher microhardness and better wear resistance than those on aluminum alloy.
• The coating-steel substrate system showed significantly higher durability under bending stress.

Conclusions:

• Cold spraying is an effective method for creating high-quality amorphous iron-based metallic glass coatings.
• Substrate material significantly impacts the mechanical and tribological performance of the coatings.
• Iron-based metallic glass coatings show potential for applications requiring high strength and wear resistance.