Deposition and Characterization of Fluoropolymer–Ceramic (ECTFE/Al2O3) Coatings via Atmospheric Plasma Spraying

Thermal spray techniques allow coatings to be deposited from a wide range of materials with controlled thicknesses, from micrometres to millimetres. For this reason, thermal spraying can optimize performance for diverse applications across industries, ensuring strong adhesion and the durability of coated surfaces. In this work, composite ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene/ceramic (ECTFE/Al2O3) coatings with different ceramic ratios were deposited by plasma spraying. Four coatings were produced by spraying blended powders consisting of pure ECTFE and ECTFE with 5%, 10%, and 15 wt.% Al2O3. The effect of varying the ceramic ratio on the coatings’ microstructure and properties was investigated. Morphology and particle size distributions were determined for the raw powders. The microstructural examination of the coatings showed proportional increases in Al2O3 content. An improvement in adhesion was achieved with ceramic in the coatings from 5 wt.% Al2O3. Enhanced friction coefficients were obtained with ceramic, except for 15 wt.% Al2O3. Taber abrasion tests showed a minimal influence on ceramic content.