"Thermomechanical Modelling of Cold-Spray Process: Application to Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthylene"

Recent researches have been focused on extended Cold Spray (CS) process to polymers. Thick but porous Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthylene (UHMWPE) coatings were successfully obtained thanks to the addition of few nano-alumina particles vol% to nascent UHMWPE powder. To improve the coating structure, (i) knowledge of the polymer behavior law and (ii) better understanding (within extreme high deformation rate and temperature gradient) of the particle adhesion mechanisms are required. Thus, to improve the first objective (i), 3D numerical constitutive model has been developed to simulate the thermomechanical behavior of UHMWPE. Then, this model has been implemented in the Finite Element software ABAQUS/Explicit to simulate the impact of UHMWPE particles onto a metallic substrate. Statistical studies investigating the effect of gas temperature and velocity on the particle deformation behavior were also carried to improve its adhesion onto the substrate, and thus contribute to the second goal (ii).