Microstructure of Cr2O3 coatings on steel and the effect of silicon

Abstract

This paper concentrates on the microstructural features of steel containing 22 wt. % Cr, coated with Cr2O3 by laser processing. It turned out that after laser coating the Cr2O3 powder has completely transformed to Fe0.3Cr2.7O4 having the tetragonal distorted spinel structure. Dispersed in the coating are metallic particles with composition FeCr and a bcc structure. The phases in the coating can be explained from the Fe-Cr-O equilibrium phase diagram with the assumption that complete phase equilibrium is reached in the liquid state but not during solidification. The two equilibrium phases, L0 and Lm, that exist in the molten state solidify as two independent liquids. Addition of Si to the ceramic material, either from the steel matrix or from the ceramic powder, results in a dendritic solidification structure of Cr3O4 dendrites and a Si-containing glassy phase. The dendrites are oriented vertically in the coating, resembling the columnar microstructure that is also observed in ZrO2 thermal barrier coatings. This structure contains fewer microcracks parallel to the interface resulting in a mechanically more stable ceramic coating.