A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Influence of ceramic retention on inter-splat bonding and mechanical behavior of cold-sprayed Cu-ZrC composite coatings; 
Authors: Khan, Saiful Wali; Vinay, Gidla; Kotturu, Leela Satya Sai Vasu; Ganvir, Ashish; Singla, Ekta; Singh, Harpreet
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Materials and Design
Article number: 116527
Volume: 268
ISSN: 0264-1275
eISSN: 1873-4197
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2026.116527
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2026.116527
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/526971020
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Cold-sprayed metal-ceramic composite coatings offer a promising route for high-performance surface engineering; however, the influence of ceramic retention on inter-splat bonding and mechanical performance remains insufficiently understood. In this study, Cu-ZrC composite coatings containing 30–85 wt% ZrC were deposited on Al-6061 substrates to investigate deposition behavior, interfacial integrity, and tribological response. Coating build-up was achieved for all compositions, although deposition efficiency decreased at higher ceramic loading due to increased particle rebound and reduced matrix continuity. Hardness increased continuously with ZrC content, while adhesion strength and scratch resistance showed non-linear behavior, with optimum cohesion observed at intermediate compositions (50–70 wt% ZrC). Scratch testing revealed reduced penetration depth and improved resistance to localized deformation with increasing ceramic content, indicating enhanced inter-splat bonding. Ball-on-disk wear testing demonstrated a progressive reduction in wear volume, reaching ∼ 93% lower wear for the 85 wt% ZrC coating compared to pure Cu, accompanied by a transition from ductile adhesive wear to brittle fragmentation-dominated mechanisms. Overall, intermediate ceramic contents provided the best balance between deposition efficiency, mechanical integrity, and tribological performance.
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The authors like to acknowledge Dr. Ayan Bhowmik (IIT Delhi) for providing access to the adhesion test and Ms Sudha Kumari and Ms Malar Vadani GT for helping in the experimentation. This work was supported by the prestigious Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF ID-2902491) scheme by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The authors would like to thank the Department of Science and Technology (DST) India, through the project “Advanced Manufacturing Technology - Centre of Excellence (AMT-CoE) on Degradation Resistant Thermal Spray Coatings Engineered for Indigenous Industrial Applications (DST/TDT/AM/2022/143)” established at IIT Ropar. The cold spray system used for this study was established through MHRD-DST funded Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY, IITRPR_001). We are also grateful to Indian Institute of Technology Ropar including Central research facility (IIT Ropar) for providing the research facilities to carry out this work. The Authors at University of Turku also acknowledges financial support from GREEN-BAT (352517), co-funded by the Research Council of Finland and the European Union under the M-ERA.NET 2021 framework, as well as the SOLACE (DNR 360540) Academy research fellowship, funded by the Research Council of Finland and the City of Turku for supporting Prof. Ganviŕs tenure-track grant. The authors also acknowledge the Finnish Digital Design and Manufacturing Infrastructure (FiDiEm) for access to the experimental facilities.
