Metallurgical Approach for the Development of Heat Treatment Applied to 316L Stainless Steel Cold Spray Coatings
Résumé
Industries developing cold-spray processes aim at producing dense and resistant coatings. Controlling microstructure and inter-particular fracture characteristics of sprayed coatings is essential to improve their properties. To do so, post-spraying heat treatment is a promising approach. This work addresses the development of such heat treatments and focuses on the analysis of recovery and recrystallization. Different heat treatment parameters were explored, namely, holding temperature and time, heating rate, and heating method. This approach revealed a competition between recrystallization and other microstructural evolution mechanisms, such as precipitation and porosity coalescence. An optimized heat treatment, allowing microstructural softening and adequate mechanical properties, was sought after. First, differential scanning calorimetry measurements applied to as-sprayed coatings enabled to identify recovery and recrystallization temperature ranges. Then, a variety of heat treatments was applied, involving long-time isothermal holdings as well as shorter cycles. Microstructure analysis and hardness measurements allowed making a first selection of treatment conditions.