IRON-BASE COATING FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE METALFORMING APPLICATIONS

HIGH TEMPERATURE INDUSTRIAL METALFORMING OPERATIONS SUBJECT SYSTEM COMPONENTS TO SEVERE WEAR CONDITIONS, AND DEGRADATION OF THESE COMPONENTS HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON PROCESS EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCT QUALITY. UTILIZATION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IS A KEY TO UPGRADING COMPETITIVENESS OF THIS SECTOR OF THE NATION'S INDUSTRIAL BASE. A NOVEL IRON-BASE, HIGH BORON COATING ALLOY, APPLIED BY VARIOUS THERMAL SPRAY AND WELD OVERLAY PROCESSES, IS ACCUMULATING AN IMPRESSIVE TRACK RECORD IN SUCH APPLICATIONS. PERFORMANCE DOES NOT RELY ON THE WEAR ENHANCEMENT MECHANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH CONVENTIONAL COATINGS. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO ELUCIDATE MICROSTRUCTURE-PROPERTY RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE INNOVATIVE COATING. TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY IS A KEY INVESTIGATIVE TOOL. THE RESEARCH INVOLVES DEVELOPMENT OF WEAR TESTS THAT SIMULATE INDUSTRIAL SERVICE CONDITIONS. RESULTS MAY HELP DEFINE THE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS FOR WHICH THE COATING IS APPROPRIATE, PROVIDE MEANINGFUL COMPARISON TO OTHER COATINGS, AND ESTABLISH A BASIS FOR OPTIMIZING COATINGS AND DEPOSITION PROCESSES.