TRIBOLOGICAL STUDY OF NICRBSI/FLYASH PLASMA SPRAYED COATINGS

Plasma sprayed coatings are used for reducing the wear losses of many industrial components. It appears that few studies have considered the influence of the bulk temperature on the wear resistance of coatings. To study these effects in a Ni-based alloy reinforced with small quantities of fly ash, wear tests were carried out by using pin on disc tribometer. The specimens were tested at room temperature; the sliding speed was kept constant at 200 m/s, and the normal load 10N and 20N. The experimental programme reveals the coating behaviour and the wear rates of the material in terms of normal load and temperature. Considerable differences were found between the wear rates of the counter bodies. The analysis of the worn specimens by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDAX) provides information about the main mechanism associated with each condition