Computer simulation of the morphological characteristics of thermally sprayed coatings.

Abstract

We present a computational model for the simulation of thermal spray deposition of powders on the surface of solid substrates kept at low temperatures. The method of simulation relates the deposition temperature, the particle size, and the mechanical properties of the powder and of the substrate in an attempt to predict the shape of the deposited particle after cooling. A porous structure is obtained and the dynamical evolution of its surface roughness is measured for different temperatures.