Rabu, 28 Februari 2018

The Process Of Tungsten Carbide Coatings And Their Application In The Industrial Market

By Richard Patterson


Tungsten carbide is a chemical compound consisting of various metallic and non-metallic elements which pose cohesive and adhesive properties in their chemical structures. They exhibit the above characteristics when treated under controlled chemical conditions. Therefore, the compound is applied as a coating powder due to their distinct binding properties to form an anti-wear coating to galling, abrasion and fretting. The tungsten carbide coatings are primarily done by thermal sprays to achieve a strong concrete coating.

Similarly, the carbide coatings are also used in plasma sprays where they produce a relatively finer texture depending on the mode of application. In such instances, the flame spray is warranted as a secondary operation for fusibility purposes and to provide a metallurgic coating. Therefore, the carbide as a powdered feed-stock ensures consistent production in its application when HVOF thermal or plasma sprays are used.

The process of application is usually initiated by a jet of combusted high-pressure fuel gas together with oxygen gas. It is then pressurized more in pressure chambers where it jets out via a small diameter-nozzle at an accelerating velocity in a long gas barrel. It is thus mixed with carbide powder at nozzle point where the two attains a supersonic speed.

Then the mixture in a high velocity is injected on the substrate surface to be applied thus losing the gained kinetic energy due to an instant halt. Therefore, the particles adopt the kinetic energy by clinging together on the metal surface resulting in a dense uniform coating with low porosity characteristics. Similarly, a high bond coating is attained due to the cohesive and adhesive properties of the powder.

Some critical instances demand a specified coating texture. It is thus achieved through mixing the carbide powder with the selected binder material containing the desired characteristics. The resulting compound manifest increased hardness due to its higher boiling point. It is thus sprayed by a high-velocity oxygen thermal spray resulting in the formation of a hard and resistant to corrosion coating.

Various considerations are put in place when selecting different binder materials and chemistry; these include; corrosion, erosion, and abrasion. Thus, the coating is commonly used for extreme wear conditions. It is thus applied in coating rolling surfaces in paper production processes. The quality and thickness of the paper produced can be ascertained by the parameters applied in thermal spraying the surfaces to adapt the desired paper characteristic.

The coating technology is also applicable to power generation points, majorly coal-oriented power plants. It plays a key role in maintaining the surfaces from adverse conditions like corrosion. Similarly, the coating is also widely used in steel and metal production from the fabrication process to the finishing process. Collectively, it serves as cost reduction technique, and thus it efficiently fosters productivity.

Finally, the coating accrues a pool of benefits over other coating elements in that despite its punishing ability on operating conditions; it is the easiest mode of coating in the application. Its deposition process is faster than the anciently used conventional chrome plating. Similarly, it does not undergo the time and cost required for hydrogen embrittlement treatment.




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