Abstract

Atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) of alumina ceramic coatings is widely employed in industrial fields owing to their outstanding properties. However, their relatively poor friction-reduction performance often leads to severe damage on friction counterparts. Improving the tribological characteristics without sacrificing wear resistance remains a key research challenge in the field of ceramic coatings. In this work, spherical h-BN composite powder was successfully fabricated utilizing strong bonding interactions (hydrogen bonding). The dense encapsulation layer on the powder surface endowed it with excellent flowability and dispersibility. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and tribological performance of the composite coating deposited from this powder were systematically characterized. Results indicated that h-BN retained its structural integrity within the hightemperature plasma jet without degradation. The coating exhibited uniform phase distribution, selflubricating properties, and significantly enhanced mechanical properties, along with improved friction reduction and wear resistance to varying degrees. The coefficient of friction (COF) was 0.38, and the wear rate was 3.9 x 10-6 mm3N- 1m- 1. The extent of improvement was closely related to the in-situ formation state of the sliding layer and lubricating film on the worn surface. Meanwhile, a comparative study was conducted on the effects of different h-BN incorporation methods on the properties of the alumina ceramic coating. This study provided an effective strategy for fabricating plasma-sprayed Al2O3/h-BN composite ceramic coatings with integrated friction-reducing and anti-wear properties.

Keywords Plus: CARBON NANOTUBE，MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES，GRAPHENE NANOPLATELETS，MICROSTRUCTURE，COMPOSITES，DISPERSION，SPLATS，OXIDE

Published in TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL，Volume216；10.1016/j.triboint.2025.111588，APR 2026