Solid particle erosion studies of thermally deposited alumina–titania coatings on an aluminum alloy

Thermal barrier coatings are widely used as surface modifications to enhance the surface properties of the material and protect from surface degradations such as erosion and corrosion. Ceramic-based coatings are highly recommended to increase wear resistance in the industrial sector. In this paper, an alumina–titania ceramic powder was deposited on an aluminum alloy using an atmospheric plasma spray technique. Experimental investigations were performed to study the behavior and erosion rate of the material. Solid particle erosion studies were performed by varying the particle velocity and particle flow rate. The angle impingement and stand-off distance were constant for comparison. The base metal has a clinging effect and the mass change was negative at a maximum particle flow rate of 4 g·min⁻¹. Under the same process conditions, the coated sample had a reduced lifetime and reached a maximum erosion rate of 0.052 (Δg/g). The solid particle erosion studies confirmed that the base metal aluminum alloy had severe surface damage with erodent reinforcement when compared to the coated samples. The influence of the particle velocity, particle flow rate, and input process parameters were also identified.