Abstract
In the newly developed thermal nanoparticle spraying process, micro-composite fragments that contain ceramic nanoparticles can be introduced into a plasma flame to form fine-coating layers at high deposition speeds, by transporting the fragments using conventional powder feeders. In this work, we investigated the effect of the spraying distance, and the nanoparticle concentration in the micro-composite fragments, on the microstructure and mechanical property of the coating. Specifically, micro-composite fragments containing yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nanoparticles were utilized at concentrations varying between 42-57% v/ v, and spraying distances in the 50-85 mm range. The microstructure of the coated layers was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the hardness distributions were measured using a micro Vickers hardness tester.
