Effect of pulsed plasma and high-current electron beam treatments on the structure and properties of nickel-based coatings

Using plasma-detonation technology (PDT), nickel-based powder (PGAN-33, PG-10N-01 and PG-19N-01) coatings 80–300 μm thick were deposited on a low-carbon St-3 steel substrate. Coatings were then subjected to additional treatment either by a high-current electron beam (HCEB) or by a high-velocity pulsed plasma jet until melting. The structure was analyzed using x-ray diffraction and conversion Mössbauer spectroscopy in the transmission and scattering modes. The morphology and elemental composition were studied using scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis. The micro-and nanohardness, volumetric wear, and corrosion resistance of the grown coatings were measured. It was found that, as the HCEB and PDT energy density increase, the phase composition changes, phase redistribution occurs, and new phases are formed. The last process is caused by mass transfer from the erosion plasmatron electrode and from a gas plasma jet, and interdiffusion of coating and substrate elements. After the exposure to concentrated energy fluxes, the coating surface roughness decreased. It is shown that physicochemical and mechanical characteristics of modified coatings improve in the case of optimum treatment conditions.