Investigation of Spitting Behaviour of NiCoCrAlY Type Materials During Electron Beam Evaporation

Spitting behaviour of four casted and powder metallurgy ingots used in the fabrication of NiCoCrAlY-type environmental protective coatings by electron beam physical vapour deposition was investigated and correlated with ingot microstructures and compositions. Spits found in the coatings mainly consisted of the Ni5Y phase precipitated in the β-NiAl matrix while their typical size exceeded 50 µm. Spitting was less pronounced for ingots having a higher Cr content, larger size of γ-Ni(Co, Cr) precipitates formed within β-NiAl grains and narrower transitional zone formed at the interface between molten and unmolten ingot regions and consisting of coarsened β grains. Large (above 100 µm) agglomerates of the Ni5Y phase detected below the zone were identified as the main spit precursors.