Study of the corrosion and cavitation resistance of HVOF and HVAF FeCrMnSiNi and FeCrMnSiB coatings

Cavitation and corrosion on hydrodynamic components and systems reduces the operational efficiency. The use of wear resistant coatings has been studied as a solution to the problem of corrosion and cavitation in industrial environments. The high velocity oxy-fuel process (HVOF) can produce coatings with high density and bond strength. High velocity air-fuel (HVAF) is an alternative process, which can deposit coatings with higher velocity and lower temperatures, compared to the HVOF process, resulting in lower oxide content. This paper analyzes the HVOF and HVAF processes to deposit FeCrMnSiNi and FeCrMnSiB coatings, comparing their cavitation and corrosion resistance. HVAF coatings presented lower porosity and oxide levels, as well as higher hardness values. The HVAF process presented better cavitation and corrosion resistance, due to lower porosity and oxide contents of the coatings. The amount of oxides and pores in the coatings was crucial in their corrosive behavior, by facilitating the penetration of the chloride ions through the pores, leading to a higher corrosion rate and pitting formation.