Abstract
Cold gas dynamics spray (CGDS) is a surface coating process using highly accelerated particles to form
the surface coating by high speed impact of the particles. In the CGDS process, metal particles of generally
1-50 μm diameter is carried by a gas stream in high pressure (typically 20-30 atm) through a DE Laval type
nozzle to achieve supersonic flying so as to impact on the substrate. Typically, the impact velocity ranges
between 300 and 1200 m/s in the CGDS process. When the particle gains its critical velocity, the minimum
in-flight speed at which it can deposit, adiabatic shear instabilities will occur. Herein, to ascertain the critical
velocities of different particle sizes on the bonding efficiency in CGDS process, three-dimensional numerical
simulations of single particle deposition process were performed. In the CGDS process, one of the most
important parameters which determine the bonding strength with the substrate is particle impact temperature.
Bonding will occur when the particle’s impacting velocity surpass the critical velocity, at which the interface
can achieve 60 % of melting temperature of particle material (Ref 1). Therefore, critical velocity should be a
main parameter on the coating quality. The particle critical velocity is determined not only by its size, but
also by its material properties. This study numerically investigate the critical velocity for the particle
deposition process in CGDS. In the present numerical analysis, copper (Cu) was chosen as particle material
and aluminum (Al) as substrate material for this study. The impacting velocities were selected between 300
m/s and 800 m/s increasing in steps of 100 m/s. The simulation result reveals temporal and spatial interfacial
temperature distribution and deformation between particle(s) and substrate. Finally, comparison is carried
out between the computed results and experimental data.