Pure Aluminum on GFRP Composite Substrate

[ahmadsahid]

Dear All,

Is there anyone who experience with application of pure aluminum powder on Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic substrate, using powder flame spray method?

Please advice for surface preparation (blasting and preheating) and spray parameter!

Best Regards,
A. Sahid

[sreenuvundela]

Hi

I am having experience of Al metallizing with twin wire arc process on composite material.

We have to carry blasting at low pressures with fine grade Aluminum Oxide and kindly note that it always depends on hardness of composite material, in general composites are having low hardness.

Pre heating is not required for composites because the melting point of the composites will be very low.

Process parameters are same as we are applying on any metal. But we can not develop thicker coatings on composites because of poor surface preparation, the composites easily wear off during grit blasting rather than roughening the surface.


Regards,

SREENIVAS

[ahmadsahid]

Hi Sreenivas,

How about using powder flame spray method? I got too hot to the substrate.

Regards,
A. Sahid

[Stephen Booth]

Hi Sreeni, Achmat:

1. Powder Flame Spraying, suppose you are using a 5PII or 6PII torch? If so, in my experience the substrate will be too high. Eutectic used to have a torch, the Terodyn 2000 with a LT aircap that might have worked for Aluminium on Fiber Glass. However mostly would not use Al with Powder Flame.
   
2. Wire Flame, I think this is your best choice, as Al wire is commonly available, and you have a Wire Flame System. Main thing is to keep the substrate from causing dust or overheating. Bonding should be good.
   

Hi Sreenivas,

How about using powder flame spray method? I got too hot to the substrate.

Regards,
A. Sahid

[Gordon]

Hi

Powder flame spray is not a good process for this as temperature is hard to control. If you must use this, I would consider trying to use the crossed air jets in a similar manner as that used for spraying ceramics.

It is vitally important to keep the temperature of your composite very low during spraying.