Comparative of the Tribological Performance of Hydraulic Cylinders Coated by the Process of Thermal Spray HVOF and Hard Chrome Plating

Due to the necessity of obtaining a surface that is resistant to wear and oxidation, hydraulic cylinders are typically coated with hard chrome through the process of electroplating process. However, this type of coating shows an increase of the area to support sealing elements, which interferes directly in the lubrication of the rod, causing damage to the seal components and bringing oil leakage. Another disadvantage in using the electroplated hard chromium process is the presence of high level hexavalent chromium Cr+6 which is not only carcinogenic, but also extremely contaminating to the environment. Currently, the alternative process of high-speed thermal spraying (HVOF - High Velocity Oxy-Fuel), uses composite materials (metal-ceramic) possessing low wear rates. Research has shown that some mechanical properties are changed positively with the thermal spray process in industrial applications. It is evident that a coating based on WC has upper characteristics as: wear resistance, low friction coefficient, with respect to hard chrome coatings. These characteristics were analyzed by optical microscopy, roughness measurements and wear test