Surface modification of coatings based on Ni-Cr-Al by pulsed plasma treatment

To protect materials from abrasion-corrosion, various thermal spraying methods can be used to apply coatings, such as gas-flame powder spraying, plasma spraying, high velocity oxygen-fuel spraying and detonation cannon. Thermal spraying is one of the most effective methods of protecting the material from wear and corrosion, thereby increasing the service life of the material used. We present the surface modification of coatings based on Ni-Cr-Al by a pulsed plasma treatment using a plasma generator. The coatings were obtained by detonation spraying followed by pulsed plasma treatment. The changes to the structural properties of the coatings under the influence of plasma flow were studied using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical and tribological properties were analyzed by surface roughness characterization, microhardness testing and tribological tests for a comprehensive analysis of changes in the characteristics of the Ni-Cr-Al coatings following pulsed plasma treatment. It was found that modification of the coating by pulsed plasma treatment causes an increase in the microhardness of the surface layer, as well as a reduction in the surface roughness and friction coefficient. According to the results of X-ray phase analysis, these improvements in the mechanical and tribomechanical properties of the obtained surfaces is associated with an increase in the content of CrNi₃, NiAl and NiCr phases in the coatings.