Influence of heat treatment on surface properties of HVOF deposited WC and Ni-based powder coatings: a review

Post-spray treatments have recently been popular as a means of improving the overall quality of thermally sprayed coatings, particularly those done using the HVOF technique. Thermally assisted surface treatment of deposited coatings is an effective way to improve the characteristics of coated components for specific applications. The tribomechanical properties of post-treated WC and Ni-based coatings deposited with high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) technique have been addressed. The structure-property correlations concerning the as-sprayed and post-treated coatings have been considered to understand the various mechanisms responsible for improved performance in terms of wear and corrosion resistance. The recent advancement in the post-treatments such as post-processing using microwave hybrid heating, laser-assisted processing and Stationary friction processing have been incorporated in the current review. Comparative studies have been presented to understand the structure-property relationship and performance of WC and Ni-based HVOF sprayed coatings with the help of various characterization techniques in this review article.