Chair of Materials and Surface Engineering
Materials and Surface Engineering

IGF research project "OptiGrain“ successfully completed


The aim of the completed research project IGF – 20.588 BR was to „optimise the carbide grain size in WC-Co(Cr) coatings to increase wear resistance under simultaneous corrosive stress“. The result of the project with the short title „OptiGrain“ is the adaptation of the established WC-10Co4Cr coatings to changed requirement profiles compared to the time of their development.

In particular, there is a need for optimisation with regard to increasing the wear resistance to erosion and cavitation through an adapted WC grain size with simultaneous improved toughness and high corrosion resistance, since important areas of application are in the area of hydraulic machine parts that are flowed through or against by fluids. The Cr3C2 content plays the decisive role here; a reduction compared to the standard composition was evaluated via a preliminary development with sintered bodies and experimental coating powders. The processing of these and other commercially available coating powders with representative structures was carried out using a liquid-fuel operated HVOF plant. This publication describes partial results of the material development as well as selected coating properties. A new test method (ErKaV) is presented, which makes it possible to make a statement about the tribological properties of the coatings in a very short time under the influence of a highly erosive and cavitative wear regime (see figure).

The IGF project no.: 20.588 BR / DVS no.: 02.3179 of the Research Association on Welding and Allied Processes (Forschungsvereinigung Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren e.V.) of DVS, Aachener Str. 172, 40223 Düsseldorf, was funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection via the AiF within the framework of the programme for the promotion of joint industrial research (IGF) on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.

The final report on the project can be found at the following link:

https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/mb/WOT/forschung/forschungsprojekte/aif_bmbf_sab/IGF_20588.pdf

Questions about the research project can be answered by gerd.paczkowski@tu-chemnitz.de or to lutz-michael.berger@ikts.fraunhofer.de .

 

Image:
(a) TUC waterjet cutting system; (b) triangular matrix for statistical testing of the layers; (c) wear trough with material elevation at the stagnation point of the flow; (d) laser scanning microscope for quantification of the erosion cavitation troughs; (e) digital image of the wear trough of the WCCo22 layer and f); the WCCo21 layer.

9.3.2022 – Projects of the professorship ( )

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