Hard ultralight systems by thermal spray deposition of WC-CoCr onto AZ31 magnesium alloy

Magnesium alloys in general, and AZ31 in particular, have huge potential as materials for energy saving and emissions reduction in the transportation of people and goods, because of their low density (about 1.7 g∙cm−3) coupled to good bulk mechanical properties. The main weakness is represented by the alloy surface, prone to corrosion and rather soft. Coatings are therefore mandatory, especially in harsh environments. To obtain AZ31 materials with exceptional surface properties High Velocity Oxygen-Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray was exploited to deposit a WC-CoCr coating with very high surface hardness. Because of the heat sensitivity of magnesium alloys, the influence of torch-substrate kinematics and substrate surface preparation on the surface temperature during deposition, the metallurgical characteristics of AZ31, and the residual stress state of the coated samples were investigated. The overall quality of the coatings was also evaluated by abrasion and electrochemical corrosion resistance tests. Proper adjustment of the torch/substrate standoff distance and torch patterning strategy reduced the surface temperature during deposition by around 100 °C, as measured with an IR pyrometer. This also resulted in a decreased magnitude of the average compressive stress in the coating. At the same time, these adjustments did not impair measurably the performances of the coatings, which, regardless of the deposition conditions, had approximately 1200 HV0.3 hardness, 2–4 μA∙cm−2 corrosion current density in 3.5 wt./vol% NaCl aqueous solution, and 7–8 × 10−4 mm3∙(N∙m)−1 specific wear rate under dry particles' abrasion conditions. Cyclic impact tests also showed that the coatings adhered equally well to grit-blasted or machined surfaces. On the other hand, transverse cracks developed across the coatings during impact tests because of the much higher elastic and plastic deformability of the AZ31 substrate. The avoidance of grit-blasting and the lowered deposition temperatures were also important to prevent anomalous grain growth in the AZ31 substrate.