High-velocity oxy-fuel sprayed, iron alloy-based powder coatings, reinforced with tungsten carbide–cobalt (WC–Co) and titanium carbide–nickel molybdenum (TiC–NiMo) cermet particles, are compared under high-temperature abrasive–erosive wear conditions. Both WC–Co and TiC–NiMo particles underwent fracture, as well as dissolution, during the spraying process, but in the case of WC–Co particles this process was remarkably less intensive. Under the low impact angle conditions, the WC–Co particle-reinforced coating exhibited 1.1 times lower wear than the TiC–NiMo particle-reinforced coating because of the larger amount of the reinforcement remaining. Under the normal impact angle conditions, the WC–Co particle-reinforced coating showed 1.2 times lower wear than the TiC–NiMo particle-reinforced coating because of the resulting larger size of the WC–Co reinforcement and a more ductile matrix.

Simulations and Linear/Nonlinear Optimization mathematical methods constitute presently the choice of preference in getting improvements for erosion and corrosion simulations/determinations in general tribology, biotribology and tribocorrosion. This criterion is also applicable for engineering-reliability functional efficacy/efficiency during energy-power plants lifetime-with important consequences in the probabilities of operating failure of power-plant. Their running essential parts study-control is carried out with the necessary tribo-tests for the definite validation of the models specifically considered in their mechanical-electromechanical-systems. In previous contributions, an extent review of erosion and corrosion models applicable on energy power plants machinery was presented. In this new contribution a subsequent research stage towards formal simulation and optimization of those models is shown. In other words, Inverse Applied Methods, carried out computationally, are used in modern mathematical approaches for accurate selection/fitting of the optimized modeling results, fact that happens in a large number of science-engineering branches, and also in energy power plants operation. Stepping forward in this research-line, this article deals with initial programming simulations series of selected model-formulations, and mathematical analysis in new graphical simulation-optimization methods. In doing so, subsequently nonlinear optimization programming techniques are developed, to conclude with the presentation of a hard-face metal-coatings design for W-Co composites types. That model overview is related to experimental abrasive-erosion tribotests performed at laboratory. The deliberation of the second generation of functional tribology models was detailed with computational-mathematical scopes. Finally, an objective discussion of the numerical results and data/graphs series was presented in summary.

In the current article, high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) sprayed composite powder TiC-NiMo and Cr₃C₂-Ni cermet particles reinforced self-fluxing alloy matrix (FeCrSiB) coatings were studied. The actual content of the reinforcement in the sprayed coatings was smaller in comparison with the feedstock powders. Cermet particles were deformed at the impact with the substrate, deformation was more remarkable in the case of the TiC-NiMo particles. Sprayed coatings exhibited a structure with a number of defects, like voids and cracks, whereas the latter were more pronounced in reinforced coatings. Despite the bigger number of defects, cermet particles reinforced coatings had up to 1.2 times higher surface hardness than the unreinforced coating. TiC-NiMo particles reinforced coating demonstrated 1.8 times higher sliding wear resistance than the unreinforced coating. Cr₃C₂-Ni particles reinforced coating showed 1.3–2.8 times higher sliding wear resistance in comparison with the unreinforced coating, depending on the series of tests. Addition of cermet particles allowed to increase the resistance of the FeCrSiB matrix to deformation and scuffing.