Preparation of High Entropy Cermet Powders for Thermal Spray

With an ever-expanding list of critical materials and minerals, it is crucial to find sustainable material solutions to well-established industrial requirements. High-entropy materials, i.e. materials that mix 5 or more constituents in near equi-atomic proportions, could mitigate these issues by offering highly resistant and stable materials. As a result, addressing the issues of critical materials could come from the replacement of certain materials by high-entropy counterparts made of non- (or less-) critical materials.

This project aims to specifically address the issue of ceramic-metals, also called “cermets”, that are often used as high-temperature seals or for tooling applications, with materials such as tungsten-carbide (WC). These materials are sought for their high hardness, high temperature resistance and high corrosion resistance. These applications are typically achieved by developing coatings via thermal spray, a high-temperature process in which melted or heated powder materials are sprayed onto a surface.

By relying on routine preparation methods such as gas atomization or high-energy ball milling, this research project aims to prepare high-entropy cermet powders, that could be used to develop coatings via thermal spray. The project will explore the processing and spraying of the powder as well as the thorough characterization of the powders and obtained coatings.

Faculty Supervisor:

Gobinda Saha

Student:

Partner:

Université de Limoges

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

University of New Brunswick

Program: