Effects of plasma-sprayed NiCrAl/ZrO2 intermediate on the combination ability of coatings

A NiCrAl/ZrO2 composite coating was deposited on the surface of metal carrier FeCrAl alloy by a plasma-spray technique. After static-state oxidation at 800°C, the transitions in structure and composition of the coating was analyzed by XRD, SEM and EDX. The results showed that the surface phases of the as-sprayed coating were mainly composed of Ni and ZrO2. When the oxidation time was extended from 8 to 50 h, NiO crystallites were formed and these grew coarse on the coating surface, and alloy elements were diffused between the NiCrAl/ZrO2 coating and the FeCrAl substrate. With the pretreatment, an intermediate coating was prepared with a coarse and porous structure, high cohesive strength and high heat resistance. These developed properties could provide high geometric surface area for a catalytic γ-Al2O3 washcoat, and enhance the adhesive strength between ceramic washcoat and metal substrate so as to extend the lifetime of the washcoat.