Microstructure and wear resistance of FeAl/Al2O3 intermetallic composite coating prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying

• FeAl/Al2O3 coating with a uniform dispersion of Al2O3 has been fabricated.
• Microhardness and adhesive strength improved after the incorporation of Al2O3.
• Low coefficient of friction and wear rate was obtained for FeAl/Al2O3 coating.
• Oxidation, material transference and abrasive wear were observed.

FeAl intermetallic composite coating using Al2O3 as an additive has been fabricated by atmospheric plasma spraying. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the FeAl/Al2O3 composite coating were comparatively studied with those of pure FeAl coating. A uniform dispersion of Al2O3 in the FeAl matrix can be observed for FeAl/Al2O3 composite coating. Moreover, microhardness and adhesive strength improved after the incorporation of Al2O3 particles. The tribological results show that plasma-sprayed FeAl/Al2O3 composite coatings have excellent wear resistance under dry sliding wear test conditions due to the combination of the high yield strength of the intermetallic compound FeAl and the high hardness of the Al2O3 dispersoids.