Effect of Al2O3 and MoS2 reinforcement on microstructure, mechanical, and wear properties of plasma sprayed aluminium hybrid composite coating

This study investigates the role of incorporating alumina (Al2O3) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) into an aluminium (Al) plasma sprayed coating on microstructure, mechanical, and wear properties. For this, we fabricated four different coatings with various compositions viz. Al,Al + 10 wt% Al2O3, Al+ 5 wt% MoS2, Al+ 10 wt% Al2O3 + 5 wt% MoS2 utilizing a plasma spraying. The microstructure analysis reveals that the re-inforcements are distributed uniformly within the coating, and relative density of Al hybrid composite coating has enhanced significantly to 97.5%. Furthermore, mechanical properties like hardness and elastic modulus increased to 112.5% and 77.1%, respectively. Then, reinforcement of Al2O3 and MoS2 into the Al coating significantly reduces the wear rate and coefficient of friction of the coating as 45.5% and 72.3% respectively. These improved tribological properties of the coating can be accredited to the enhanced hardness and lubrication characteristics of the reinforcements. The findings suggest that incorporating both Al2O3 and MoS2 into an Al plasma sprayed coating can be a promising approach for improving the coating's microstructural, mechanical, and tribological properties, making it suitable for a variety of industrial applications.