TITLE:
Corrosion and Wear Behavior of Nano-Zirconium (Zr) Coated Commercial Grade Cast Iron by Sol-Gel and Plasma Spray Process
AUTHORS:
Joel Hemanth, Sara Sowjanya Steevenson
KEYWORDS:
Sol-Gel, Coating, Wear, Corrosion, Zirconium, Cast Iron
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Composite Materials,
Vol.9 No.2,
March
12,
2019
ABSTRACT: Hard facing with Nickel/cobalt based alloys for
steel substrates are widely used for high temperature and pressure
applications in chemically reactive environments due to their good corrosion
and wear resistance properties. In the present research, the ceramic material, i.e., zirconium, is
coated on a hypoeutectic cast iron substrate to improve its corrosion and wear
resistance. The substrate was coated with zirconium by sol-gel process as well
as by the plasma spray process for comparison purpose. Results of the research
indicated that the successful deposition of zirconium on the cast iron
substrate by sol-gel deposition technique had improved both corrosion and wear resistance of cast iron. SEM analysis revealed
that the coating was denser without any internal cracks indicating the
soundness of deposition. Also, sol-gel process of coating indicated better wear resistance as compared with
plasma spray coated cast iron. Thus, zirconium coating on the substrate has made cast iron sound (without any
surface defects) along with excellent corrosion and wear resistance properties.
This has made cast iron suitable for structural and automotive applications.