METHOD OF PRODUCING PLASMA SPRAYED TITANIUM CARBIDE TOOL STEEL COATINGS

摘要

A composite article of manufacture is provided comprising a metal substrate having a plasma-deposited adherent coating of a titanium carbide tool steel containing by weight about 10 to 80 percent of primary grains of TiC and the balance essentially about 90 to 20 percent of a steel matrix, the matrix being characterized metallographically by an austenitic decomposition product containing martensite. The metal substrate is preferably aluminum, although other metal substrates, such as steel, can be coated. The method comprises quench-depositing the coating by plasma spraying onto the substrate such that the resulting coating is one characterized metallographically by the presence of martensite. Preferably, the titanium carbide grains should be rounded to assure a low friction surface.