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Influence of Alloy Additions on the Microstructure, Texture, and Hardness of Low-Pressure Cold-Sprayed Al-Cu Alloys

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Abstract

This paper examines a series of Al-Cu binary alloy coatings, ranging from 2 to 5 weight percent copper, produced using low-pressure cold spray (CS) deposition with helium as the carrier gas. Binary Al-Cu alloy feedstock powder was produced through inert gas atomization and was sprayed over a variety of temperatures and pressures. Using helium gas, this set of Al-Cu alloys was successfully deposited as high-density coatings. Raising the carrier gas pressure increased the particle velocity and deposition efficiency (DE) in the case of spraying the Al-5 wt.% Cu powders. A clear composite deformation structure was formed in all coatings with clear prior particle centers surrounded by severely deformed regions with ultrafine grains. Microstructural deformation generated by the CS process produced a weak but clear <110> fiber texture for both Al-2 wt.% Cu and Al-5 wt.% Cu coatings. The copper content of the feedstock powder directly influenced the coating hardness and porosity, while having no systematic effect on the DE.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to J.A. Christophersen and J.N. Wolk for assistance with the compressed air cold spray deposition and characterization portion of this research. This research was supported by the funding from Mr. William Nickerson of the Office of Naval Research (Code 35 Sea-Based Aviation Structures and Materials, N0001414WX00148) and the funding from the college of engineering at the University of Alabama.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Tian Liu, Halle Bannister, William A. Story & Luke N. Brewer

  2. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA

    Jeremy D. Leazer

  3. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, West Bethesda, MD, USA

    Benjamin D. Bouffard

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Liu, T., Leazer, J.D., Bannister, H. et al. Influence of Alloy Additions on the Microstructure, Texture, and Hardness of Low-Pressure Cold-Sprayed Al-Cu Alloys. J Therm Spray Tech 28, 904–916 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-019-00860-6

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