Search Results (44)

The promising potential of porous metallic materials for railway applications (e.g., conductive materials, materials for braking systems) is due to their unique combination of low density, high specific surface area, and high energy absorption capabilities. Porous multi-phase silicide coatings (FeSi, Si₂CN₄) provide a synergistic effect, doubling surface hardness and establishing a stable diffusion barrier. The article proposes a comprehensive approach to replacing materials for critical railway transport components, involving the development of a base material and a barrier coating. The use of widely available induction-melting components to produce a base material with superior mechanical properties is demonstrated. The material exhibits high static strength and hardness while maintaining acceptable impact toughness and ductility. To enhance wear, corrosion, and scale resistance, technology for forming a barrier layer via silicide coatings is proposed. The coating formation technology enables the regulation of porosity through the formation of nitrogen-containing phases. It is shown that pores can serve as “containers” for fillers that impart functional properties to the coatings (e.g., adjusting the friction coefficient or electrical conductivity). The new base material–barrier coating system can serve as a foundation for the sustainable production of critical rolling stock parts and other devices for railway transportation systems. Full article

This article presents a review of current trends in the development of protective coatings for TiAl alloys. These materials have been indicated as potential replacements for nickel-based alloys for several decades; however, many problems related to their application have not yet been solved, such as low resistance to oxidation and high-temperature corrosion, limited wear and erosion resistance, as well as susceptibility to microstructural changes under demanding conditions. Research in this area has been conducted for many years; nevertheless, new concepts and types of coatings are constantly being developed, particularly for third- and fourth-generation TiAl alloys. This article presents a review and classification of protective coatings used for TiAl alloys, with particular emphasis on research results published in the scientific literature of the last decade. In addition to a literature review concerning coating types and applied technologies, new trends and concepts in this field proposed by the co-authors will also be presented. Full article

Zirconium (Zr) thin films were deposited on silicon (Si) substrates via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using a 248 nm excimer laser. The effects of substrate temperature on film morphology and crystallinity were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the Zr(100) plane exhibited the strongest orientation at 400 °C while Zr (002) was maximum at 500 °C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses demonstrated an increase in surface roughness with temperature, with the smoothest surface observed at lower temperatures and significant island formation at 500 °C due to the transition to 3D growth. At 500 °C, interdiffusion effects led to the formation of zirconium silicide at the Zr/Si interface. To further interpret the experimental findings, computational modeling was employed to analyze the transition from 2D layer-by-layer growth to 3D island formation at elevated temperatures. Using a multi-parameter kinetics-free model based on free energy minimization, the critical film thickness for this transition was determined to be ~1–2 nm, aligning well with experimental observations. A separate kinetic model of island nucleation and growth predicts that this shift is driven by the kinetics of adatom surface diffusion. Additionally, the kinetic simulations revealed that, at 400 °C, adatom diffusivity optimally balances crystallization and surface energy minimization, yielding the highest film quality. At 500 °C, the rapid increase in diffusivity leads to the proliferation of 3D islands, consistent with the roughness trends observed in SEM and AFM data. These findings underscore the critical role of deposition parameters in tailoring Zr thin films for applications in advanced coatings and electronic devices. Full article

Thermal spraying technique has potential in manufacturing economic, profitable thermoelectric coatings. In order to characterize the electrical performance of thermoelectric coatings more conveniently, a simple setup for thermoelectric power factor of thermoelectric coatings is designed and developed. The indigenously designed setup is simple and low-cost. The compact structure makes it easy to cooperate with existing heating furnace, allowing a fast measurement in a variable temperature range. The differential method and the off-axis four-point geometry are used in Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity measurement, respectively. The Spring-load unit and other details of construction of the setup are described specifically. The Seebeck coefficient of the plasma-sprayed higher manganese silicide (HMS) coating was measured to be approximately 132.35 μV/K at 150 °C, with measurements showing high linearity (R² > 0.99). The setup demonstrated reliable electrical resistivity results for Cr20Ni80 alloy, closely matching published values (1.16 × 10⁻⁶ Ω·m vs. 1.10 × 10⁻⁶ Ω·m). HMS coating was also characterized from 50 °C to 500 °C to validate the setup on thermoelectric performance characterization across a wide temperature range. These results confirm the reliability of the developed setup. Full article

High-entropy silicide (MeSi₂) coating was prepared by the slurry method and silicon infiltration method using Mo, Cr, Ta, Nb, W, and Si elemental powders as raw materials. The coating consisted of four layers, including a porous MeSi₂ layer, a (CrTa)Si layer, a TaSi₂ layer, and a Ta₅Si₃ layer from outside to inside. At 600 °C, Si was preferentially oxidized to form SiO₂ oxide film. The mass gain rate of the coating was 0.2 mg/cm² over a period of 100 h oxidation, eliminating the phenomenon of low-temperature pulverization. At 1200 °C, MeSi₂ coating had a protection time of 20 h. During the oxidation process, the coating generated metal oxides, forming a thin SiO₂ oxide film. TaSi₂ and Ta₅Si₃ gradually transformed into Ta₂O₅, and the coating eventually failed. Full article

To enhance the high-temperature oxidation resistance of molybdenum-based materials, Y₂O₃-CeO₂ co-modified silicide coatings were produced on molybdenum substrates using two-step pack cementation. The microstructure and phase composition of Y₂O₃-CeO₂ co-modified composite coatings were examined both before and after oxidation. A detailed analysis of the antioxidant properties of the co-modified coatings and the mechanisms behind the modifications was also conducted. The incorporation of 1.0 wt.% CeO₂ and 1.5 wt.% Y₂O₃ into the composite coatings resulted in a dense, non-porous, maximum-thickness microstructure. This microstructure is characterized by the uniform distribution of parallel MoSi₂ and MoB layers on the substrate. In particular, the coating containing 1.5 wt.% Y₂O₃ exhibited superior oxidation resistance, with a weight gain of 0.29 mg/cm² and an oxidation rate constant of 6.68 × 10⁻⁴ mg²/(cm⁴·h) after oxidation at 1150 °C for 255 h. During oxidation, a dense SiO₂ oxide film is formed through the cooperation of Y₂O₃ and CeO₂, inhibiting further Si diffusion into the substrate and reducing the formation of the Mo₅Si₃ layer. Full article

A novel TiB₂-CeO₂-modified (Nb,Mo,Cr,W)Si₂ coating was prepared on a Nb-5W-2Mo-1Zr alloy substrate using two-step slurry sintering and halide-activated pack cementation to address the limitations of a single NbSi₂ coating in meeting the service requirements of niobium alloys at elevated temperatures. At 1700 °C, the static oxidation life of the coating exceeded 20 h, thus indicating excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance. This was due to the formation of a TiO₂-SiO₂-Cr₂O₃ composite oxide film on the coating surface, which, due to low oxygen permeability, effectively prevented the inward infiltration of oxygen. Additionally, the dense structure of the composite coating further enhanced this protective effect. The composite coating was able to withstand over 1600 thermal shock cycles from room temperature to 1700 °C, and its excellent thermal shock performance could be attributed to the formation of MoSi₂, CrSi₂, and WSi₂ from elements such as Mo, Cr, and W, which were added during modification. In addition to adjusting the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the layers of composite coatings to reduce the thermal stress generated by thermal shock cycles, the formation of silicide compounds also improved the overall fracture toughness of the coating and thereby improved its thermal shock resistance. Full article

The traditional Si bonding layer in environmental barrier coatings has a low melting point (1414 °C), which is a significant challenge in meeting the requirements of the next generation higher thrust-to-weight ratio aero-engines. To seek new bonding layer materials with higher melting points, the mechanical properties of Y-Si and Gd-Si silicides were calculated by the first-principles method. Subsequently, empirical formulae were employed to compute the sound velocities, Debye temperatures, and the minimum coefficients of thermal conductivity for the YSi, Y₅Si₄, Y₅Si₃, GdSi, and Gd₅Si₄. The results showed that Y₅Si₄ has the best plasticity and ductility among all these materials. In addition, Gd₅Si₄ has the minimum Debye temperature (267 K) and thermal conductivity (0.43 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) compared with others. The theoretical calculation results indicate that some silicides in the Y-Si and Gd-Si systems possess potential application value in high-temperature bonding layers for thermal and/or environmental barrier coating. Full article

Titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace applications due to their high specific strength and exceptional corrosion resistance. In this study, a silicide coating with a multi-layer structure was designed and prepared via a pack cementation process to improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloy. A new theory based on the Le Chatelier’s principle is proposed to explain the generation mechanism of active Si atoms. Taking the chemical potential as a bridge, a functional model of the relationship between the diffusion driving force and the change in the Gibbs free energy of reaction diffusion is established. Experimental results indicate that the depth of the silicide coating increases with the siliconization temperature (1000–1100 °C) and time (0–5 h). The multi-layer coating prepared at 1075 °C for 3 h exhibits a thick and dense structure with a thickness of 23.52 μm. This coating consists of an outer layer of TiSi₂ (9.40 μm), a middle layer of TiSi (3.36 μm), and an inner layer of Ti₅Si₃ (10.76 μm). Under this preparation parameter, increasing the temperature or prolonging the holding time will cause the outward diffusion flux of atoms in the substrate to be much larger than the diffusion flux of silicon atoms to the substrate, thus forming pores in the coating. The calculated value of the diffusion driving force F_TiSi = 2.012S is significantly smaller than that of ${\mathrm{F}}_{{\mathrm{TiSi}}_2}$ = 13.120S and ${\mathrm{F}}_{{\mathrm{Ti}}_5{\mathrm{Si}}_3}$ = 14.552S, which perfectly reveals the relationship between the thickness of each layer in the Ti–Si multi-layer coating. Full article

In this paper, Ni60/WC wear-resistant coatings have been created on the Ti6Al4V substrate surface using a pre-layered powder laser cladding method by deploying various scanning speeds of 8, 10, 12, and 14 mm/s. The coatings are characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a high-speed reciprocating fatigue wear tester. It is found that the phase composition of the coating comprises the synthesized, hard phase TiC and TiB₂, the silicides WSi₂ and W5Si₃, and NiTi and γ-Ni solid solutions. At different scanning speeds, there is a metallurgical fusion line in the bonding area of the fused cladding layer, indicating a good metallurgical bonding between the substrate and the powder. At a low scanning speed, the coating develops into coarse dendrites, which shows significant improvement with scanning speed. The microhardness first increases and then decreases with the scanning speed, and the coating’s average microhardness was 2.75–3.13 times higher than that of the substrate. The amount of mass wear has been reduced by 60.1–79.7% compared to the substrate. The wear behavior of the coatings was studied through detailed analysis of wear surfaces’ microstructures and the amount of wear to identify the optimum scanning speed. Full article

The oxidation behavior of two ternary Mo-Si-Ti alloys (eutectic Mo-20.0Si-52.8Ti and eutectoid Mo-21.0Si-34.0Ti) was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis at 700 °C, 900 °C, and 1300 °C for 100 h. The eutectic alloy formed a protective SiO₂/TiO₂ oxide scale, whereas the eutectoid alloy showed catastrophic oxidation. To improve the oxidation behavior of these alloys, chromium diffusion coatings deposited via pack cementation on the surface were investigated. Cr coatings were found to be suitable for improving oxidation resistance at 700 °C and 900 °C but failed at 1300 °C due to the evaporation of thin scales. At 700 °C and 900 °C, the formation of a Cr₂O₃ scale was proven on the Ti-rich/Mo-lean eutectic composition. After exposure, the Ti-lean/Mo-rich eutectoid composition, which is intrinsically more prone to oxidation, was found to form a continuous Cr₂O₃ scale only at 700 °C. Full article

In this paper, an online apparatus was developed for isothermal thermogravimetric measurement of silicide coatings within a wide temperature range (from −180 °C to 2300 °C) based on thermogravimetric analysis. Firstly, the measuring principle and method regarding silicide coatings of this apparatus were studied. Secondly, on the basis of oxidation kinetics analysis, the intrinsic mechanism and kinetic parameters of three stages (oxidation, diffusion, and fall-off) of silicide coatings were studied, and the oxidation kinetics features were also analyzed. In addition, according to mathematical physics methods, a kinetics model of silicide coatings in different stages of oxidation was established, including parameters such as weight change, oxidation rate, oxidation time, etc. Finally, online isothermal experiments from −180 °C to 2300 °C werecarried out and analyzed. The results showed that the kinetic model established in this paper was in good agreement with the oxidation process of silicide coatings. In this paper, a complete kinetics model including different oxidation stages is proposed for the entire oxidation process of a silicide coating, revealing its oxidation mechanism. The research will play a significant role in the study of preparation technology improvement and high-temperature environment application. This paper studied two measuring methods: weight gain and weight loss measuring methods. Also, an experiment was carried out on the silicide coatings to explore the physical oxidation process between −180 °C and 2300 °C. The results proved the perfect consistency of the kinetics model proposed by this paper and the oxidation process of silicide coatings. This paper will play a significant role in the study of preparation technology enhancement and high-temperature environment application. It also provides a theoretical foundation for accelerated aging and life evaluation methods. Full article

Si-Co diffusion coatings were prepared on a Y-modified TiAl-Nb alloy using the pack cementation process. The structures of the coatings prepared at different temperatures (1050, 1080, and 1120 °C) and pack Co contents (5, 10, and 20 wt.%) were comparatively studied. The coatings possessed the typical structure of a (Ti,X)Si₂+Ti₅Si₄ (X represents Nb and Al elements) outer layer with a Co-rich superficial zone, a Ti₅Si₄+Ti₅Si₃ middle layer, and a TiAl₂ inner layer. Increasing the co-deposition temperature in the range of 1050–1120 °C led to a larger coating thickness but a more-porous coating structure, while increasing the pack Co contents in the range of 5–20 wt.% caused a lower coating growth rate. The formation of the Si-Co diffusion coating followed an orderly process of depositing Si first and then Co. The Si-Co diffusion coating had much better anti-oxidation performance than both the TiAl-Nb substrate and pure silicide coating. After undergoing oxidation at 1000 °C for 100 h, the oxidation parabolic rate of the Si-Co diffusion coating was approximately 6.16 × 10⁻³ mg²/cm⁴h¹, which was lower than those of the TiAl-Nb substrate by about two orders of magnitude and pure silicide coating by about one order of magnitude. Full article

This paper presents the results of an investigation of direct laser writing on a titanium film with an antireflection capping silicon coating. Bi-layer films were deposited on fused silica substrates using an e-beam evaporation system. Modeling predicted that optical absorption for a bi-layer Si/Ti material can be increased by a factor of ~2 compared to a single-layer Ti film at 532 nm laser writing beam wavelength. It is experimentally proved that rate of thermochemical laser writing on Si/Ti films is at least 3 times higher than that on a single-layer Ti film with comparable thickness. The silicon layer was found to participate in the thermochemical reaction (silicide formation) under laser beam heating, which allows one to obtain sufficient position-dependent phase change (PDPC) of light reflected from exposed and unexposed areas. This results in much larger profile depth measured with a white light interferometer (up to 150 nm) than with an atomic force microscope (up to 25 nm). During direct laser writing on Si/Ti films, there is a broad range of writing beam power within which the PDPC and reflection coefficient for the exposed areas change insignificantly. The possibility of selective development of a thermochemically written pattern on a Ti film by removing the capping silicon layer on unexposed areas in a hot KOH solution is shown. Full article

As the focus of architecture, furniture, and other fields, wood has attracted extensive attention for its many advantages, such as environmental friendliness and excellent mechanical properties. Inspired by the wetting model of natural lotus leaves, researchers prepared superhydrophobic coatings with strong mechanical properties and good durability on the modified wood surface. The prepared superhydrophobic coating has achieved functions such as oil-water separation and self-cleaning. At present, some methods such as the sol-gel method, the etching method, graft copolymerization, and the layer-by-layer self-assembly method can be used to prepare superhydrophobic surfaces, which are widely used in biology, the textile industry, national defense, the military industry, and many other fields. However, most methods for preparing superhydrophobic coatings on wood surfaces are limited by reaction conditions and process control, with low coating preparation efficiency and insufficiently fine nanostructures. The sol-gel process is suitable for large-scale industrial production due to its simple preparation method, easy process control, and low cost. In this paper, the research progress on wood superhydrophobic coatings is summarized. Taking the sol-gel method with silicide as an example, the preparation methods of superhydrophobic coatings on wood surfaces under different acid-base catalysis processes are discussed in detail. The latest progress in the preparation of superhydrophobic coatings by the sol-gel method at home and abroad is reviewed, and the future development of superhydrophobic surfaces is prospected. Full article