SiC/YAG composite coatings by a novel liquid fuelled high velocity oxy-fuel suspension thermal spray

Despite recent advances in suspension-based thermal spray techniques, there is still a need to widen the capability of available thermal spray setups to handle suspension to explore new compositions and improve the properties and performance of existing ones. In this work, a novel setup for injecting liquid-based feedstock in a liquid-fuelled high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOLF) thermal spray torch is proposed, involving a new hardware (“Hybrid Nozzle”) capable of injecting suspension radially and protecting the thermal spray flame from the environmental oxygen by inert gas shrouding. The new setup was used to deposit SiC/YAG composite coatings with 85 wt% SiC content, and their wear performance was evaluated. An oxygen deficient environment was provided to the HVOLF flame, ensuring that no or minimal (<2 wt%) SiO₂ was formed in the coating during the spray, as confirmed by XRD. A good wear performance was observed at low load below 20 N, with a specific wear rate < 5 × 10⁻⁵ mm³/Nm, with the onset of wear mechanisms characteristic of ceramic wear in the brittle regime between 20 and 30 N. The future applicability of this novel setup to a range of oxidation- and heat-sensitive materials and composites offers the opportunity for new coating materials to be explored with suspension and solution precursor-based HVOLF thermal spray.