Enhancing Wear Resistance of A390 Aluminum Alloy: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Thermal Sprayed WC, CrC, and Al2O3 Coatings

Abstract

This study comparatively analyzed the wear characteristics and adhesion properties of 86WC–10Co–4Cr (WC) coatings deposited using the high velocity oxygen fuel process and 75Cr3C2–25NiCr (CrC) and Al2O3–3TiO2 (Al2O3) coatings deposited using the atmospheric plasma spray process on an A390 aluminum alloy substrate. The adhesion strength and wear test results demonstrated that the WC coating exhibited superior wear resistance. In contrast, the CrC and Al2O3 coatings showed lower adhesion properties and unstable frictional variations due to a higher number of defects compared to the WC coating. The WC coating layer, protected by WC particles, exhibited minimal damage and a low wear rate, followed by CrC and Al2O3. Ultimately, WC coating is highlighted as the optimal choice to enhance the wear resistance of A390 aluminum alloy.