Microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of HVOF sprayed NiCrAl coating on superalloys

High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) process sprayed NiCrAl coatings on superalloys were characterized by various techniques such as optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis (SEM/EDS) to render an insight into their microstrucural features and assess its suitability for high temperature corrosion resistance applications. The as sprayed coatings were found to be dense with splat like layered morphology. The XRD analysis of the coating showed the presence of Ni (fcc) as a prominent phase with Cr and Al as minor phases. The porosity of the coatings was calculated from its optical micrographs and found to be less than 1.7%. The measured hardness and average bond strength of the coatings were found to be in the range of 278–351 Hv and 59 MPa, respectively. The observed microstructral characteristics, higher bond strength, and hardness of HVOF sprayed NiCrAl coating show that it may act as an effective barrier to provide high temperature protection to the superalloys.