The research of dependence between the input parameters of plasma spraying and microstructure of the obtained coatings

Today, protective coatings are applied to almost all parts and components of engineering products in order to ensure high performance properties of machines, with the lowest economic cost. The method of plasma spraying allows to apply heat-resistant coatings on a different kind of basis, in addition to a wide variety of materials.  Therefore, rocket and space engineering is primarily  interested in the method.

In modern conditions of high rate of mechanical engineering development engineers must develop and put into operation products within the shortest possible period of  time. As a rule, engineers select the modes of plasma spraying using the method of selecting the empirical relationship between the properties of the coatings and the values of the specified parameters of plasma spraying, which suggests conducting a huge number of experiments. That is why we see the need to find new methods for selecting the plasma spraying parameters, which are based on mathematical and analytical apparatus.

We set the  task  to study and show the applicability and prospects of the proposed method.

In the work we carried out the operations  of spraying nichrome coating, at  different values of the arc current. We studied  the adhesive  strength of the coatings obtained and their microstructure. We showed the relationship between the arc current and the adhesion of the coatings using their microstructure. These studies have made it possible to exclude a large number of experiments, which usually establish an empirical relationship between the values of the input parameters of the deposition process and the values of the characteristics of the coatings obtained. In the future, we assume that the database of such relationships will make it possible to fully use this method in engineering industries.