Research conducted in the field of suspension thermal spraying promises an entire new class of nanostructured coatings. In this study a number of parameters for Suspension HVOF spraying were explored, including spray distance and number of passes. Nano-sized TiO_2 particles suspended in a water-isopropanol mixture were used to deposit coatings for tribological applications onto a type 304 stainless steel. The surface topography, cross sectional microstructure and phase composition of the deposits were characterized by 3D optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Their sliding friction and wear behaviour were examined under humid air conditions using a reciprocating tribometer. The spray parameters used, the microstructures obtained and the dominating wear mechanisms of the nano-structured TiO_2 coating are presented and discussed.
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