Effect of laser texturing of substrate surface on coating properties of cold-sprayed and laser-assisted cold-sprayed aluminium coatings

Cold spraying has shown its potential to produce aluminium coatings with sufficient technical properties. Aluminium and its alloys have superior properties, e.g., lightness, corrosion protection, thermal and electrical conductivity. Therefore, they are often used in the aerospace industry, electrical engineering and repairing. Coating properties can further be improved by substrate pre-treatments and by process assistance during the coating formation. As illustration, laser treatments have been tested. This study focuses on the effect of laser texturing of the substrate surface as the pre-treatment and laser-assisted cold spraying as the process assisting method on coating properties such as microstructure, hardness, adhesion and deposition efficiency. Aluminium coatings were sprayed on aluminium and low carbon steel substrates in order to perceive the influence of material combinations. Improvement was detected with the optimal combination of laser texturing and process assistance, showing denser and tighter bonded coatings. Beneficially, interfaces between these coatings and substrates were cleaner than that of grit-blasted substrates.