Fabrication and Microstructure Characterization of Cold Sprayed Al-SiCp Nanocomposite Coating

Abstract

A dense Al-SiCp nanocomposite coating with high volume fraction of nano SiCp reinforcement (60 vol.%) was fabricated through cold spraying deposition of milled Al-60SiCp nanocomposite powder in the present paper. Microstructure evolution of Al-SiCp nanocomposite powder during ball milling process, microstructure characteristics and hardness of sprayed Al-SiCp nanocomposite coating were studied. Al particles underwent fracture deformation and nano SiC particles were evenly distributed in the soft Al base material after ball milling. Dense Al-SiCp composite coating had been successfully prepared through cold spraying solidification of the milled nanocomposite powder. Nano SiC particles uniformly distributed in the as-sprayed Al-SiCp composites coating. Microhardness of Al-SiCp nanocomposite coating was highly reach up to 530±53 Hv0.3 compared to 34±3 Hv0.3 for the pure Al bulk.