The process of heating, grinding, spraying metal particles for their further application to the treated surface in order to create a protective layer. According to your technology thermal spraying of metals is similar to the welding process with the difference that if the purpose of welding is to obtain a solid metal structure, products, then the main purpose of thermal spraying of metals- formation of a protective layer on the surface.

Discovery of the thermal spray method belongs to M.W.Schoop, who discovered that balls of lead, when they hit a wall, form a strong lead layer. The first experiments on applying a protective lead coating were carried out using liquid metal, later the technology began to consist in flame deposition: in gas burner the metal was fed in the form of a wire. This technology of metal deposition was called shopping named after the scientist and was used at a metallization plant opened in 1909. In 1921, Schoop patented the technology of powder spraying of metals, which made it possible to use thermal spraying instead of dangerous electroplating chromium plating.

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Application of thermal spray

The range also includes equipment families from "mini-compact" facility for research companies and laboratories, more mature coating systems and specialty equipment for in-line processes, larger products and hybrid systems.

Application of thermal spray

• thermal spray applied for creating surfaces on parts and equipment with such properties as corrosion resistance, wear resistance, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, etc., as well as for restoring and repairing surfaces.
• Thermal spray methods can serve as an alternative such processing methods as galvanic chromium plating, phosphating, metal cladding, surface coating with paint, etc.

Benefits of Using Thermal Spray

1. The ability to use almost any metal as a protective material.
2. Heating occurs to low temperatures (no more than 150 degrees C), which avoids mixing of the deposited metal with the surface material.
3. The possibility of applying several layers, each of which will perform its own protective function.
4. Safe in comparison with other methods of surface treatment - it is enough to use filters to purify the air.

Familiarize yourself with the methods of thermal spraying of metals in the eponymous useful note or contact PromKomplekt specialists to clarify the details of applying protective surfaces different ways: leave a request for a callback on the organization's website, and the managers of the Promkomplekt company will contact you and offer metalworking services in various ways, or you can buy cheap rolled metal already finished surface.

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Vacuum coating plants

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Thin-film metal-polymer materials (metallized polymers, hardware with a thin polymer coating, multilayer systems, etc.), formed by vacuum technology, are characterized by high service properties and are effectively used in solving various technical problems. Their application largely determined the achievements of optics, electrical and radio engineering, chemical technology, and a number of other industries. At the same time, even wider use of vacuum-plasma methods in the formation of thin-film metal-polymer materials is possible in the near future, which is associated, firstly, with the development of technical equipment, with the development and implementation of highly efficient technological processes, in particular, with the use of continuous automatic vacuum installations and, secondly, with noticeable success in studying the patterns of deposition of vacuum metal and polymer coatings.

The main feature of the formation of these materials is the occurrence of complex physical and chemical processes at the phase boundary, their dependence on the conditions and modes of layer deposition. It is for this reason that consideration of even the technologically simplest two-layer metal-polymer system implies, in particular, taking into account the state of the boundary polymer layer as its main element. The structure and properties of this layer are determined by the kinetics of diffusion, contact chemical processes, which, as a rule, have a relaxation nature and depend on the nature of the interacting materials and the technological parameters of the formation of an adhesive contact. At present, a large amount of experimental material has been accumulated on the nature and mechanism of interfacial interactions, the structure and properties of boundary layers, and the influence on the features and characteristics of interfacial processes of the nature of interacting materials and external thermal and mechanical influences. Theoretical studies, the main purpose of which is the analytical description of interfacial processes, are less numerous, which is explained by the complexity of the ongoing processes, the influence of a large number of factors, the degree and nature of the impact of which on interfacial processes have not been studied in detail.

Vacuum coating

Vacuum coating- the transfer of particles of the sprayed substance from the source (the place of its transfer into the gas phase) to the surface of the part is carried out along rectilinear trajectories at a vacuum of 10 -2 Pa and below (vacuum evaporation) and by diffusion and convective transfer in plasma at pressures of 1 Pa (cathode sputtering) and 10 -1 -10 -2 Pa (magnetron and ion-plasma sputtering). The fate of each of the particles of the sprayed substance upon impact with the surface of the part depends on its energy, the surface temperature, and the chemical affinity of the materials of the film and the part. Atoms or molecules that have reached the surface can either be reflected from it, or adsorbed and leave it after some time (desorption), or adsorbed and form a condensate on the surface (condensation). At high particle energies, high surface temperature, and low chemical affinity, the particle is reflected by the surface. The surface temperature of the part, above which all particles are reflected from it and the film is not formed, is called the critical temperature of vacuum deposition; its value depends on the nature of the film materials and the surface of the part, and on the state of the surface. At very low fluxes of evaporating particles, even if these particles are adsorbed on the surface, but rarely occur with other similar particles, they are desorbed and cannot form nuclei; film does not grow. The critical flux density of evaporated particles for a given surface temperature is the lowest density at which the particles condense and form a film. The structure of the deposited films depends on the properties of the material, the state and temperature of the surface, and the deposition rate. The films can be amorphous (glassy, ​​eg oxides, Si), polycrystalline (metals, alloys, Si), or single crystalline (eg, semiconductor films obtained by molecular beam epitaxy). To streamline the structure and reduce the internal mechanical stresses of the films, increase the stability of their properties and improve adhesion to the surface of products immediately after deposition without breaking the vacuum, the films are annealed at temperatures slightly higher than the surface temperature during deposition. Often, by means of vacuum deposition, multilayer film structures are created from various materials.

Vacuum coating plants

Used for vacuum deposition technological equipment intermittent, semi-continuous and continuous action. Settings periodical action one cycle of film deposition is carried out for a given number of loaded products. Continuous installations are used in serial and mass production. They are of two types: multi-chamber and multi-position single-chamber. The former consist of sequentially arranged deposition modules, in each of which the deposition of films of certain materials or their heat treatment and control. The modules are interconnected by lock chambers and a transport conveyor device. Multi-position single-chamber installations contain several sputtering posts (located in one vacuum chamber) connected by a transport device of a conveyor or rotary type. The main components and systems of installations for vacuum deposition are independent devices, performing the specified functions:

• creating a vacuum
• evaporation or spraying of film material
• parts transportation
• control of vacuum deposition modes and film properties
• power supply

Vacuum spraying

Application of films or layers on the surface of parts or products under vacuum conditions (1.0 -1 10 -7 Pa). Vacuum deposition is used in the planar technology of semiconductor microcircuits, in the production of thin-film hybrid circuits, products of piezotechnics, acoustoelectronics, etc. (deposition of conductive, dielectric, protective layers, masks, etc.), in optics (deposition of antireflection, reflective, etc. coatings), limited - when metallizing the surface of plastic and glass products, car window tinting. Metals (Al, Au, Cu, Cr, Ni, V, Ti, etc.), alloys (for example, NiCr, CrNiSi), chemical compounds (silicides, oxides, borides, carbides, etc.), complex glass are applied by vacuum deposition. composition (for example, I 2 O 3 B 2 O 3 SiO 2 Al 2 O 3 CaO, Ta 2 O B 2 O 3 I 2 O 3 GeO 2), cermets.

Vacuum deposition is based on the creation of a directed flow of particles (atoms, molecules or clusters) of the deposited material on the surface of products and their condensation. The process includes several stages: the transition of the sprayed substance or material from the condensed phase to the gas phase, the transfer of gas phase molecules to the surface of the product, their condensation on the surface, the formation and growth of nuclei, and the formation of a film.

Typically, a vacuum deposition plant includes the following components:

• a working chamber in which films are deposited;
• sources of vaporized or sprayed materials with their power supply systems and control devices;
• evacuation and gas distribution systems that provide the necessary vacuum and the organization of gas flows (consist of pumps, leaks, valves, traps, flanges and covers, for measuring vacuum and gas flow velocities);
• power supply system and blocking of all devices and working units of the installation;
• a system for monitoring and controlling the vacuum deposition unit, which provides the specified deposition rate, film thickness, surface temperature of parts, annealing temperature, physical properties of films (contains a set of sensors connected via a control microprocessor computer with actuators and information output devices);
• conveying devices that ensure the input and output of parts into the working chamber, their precise placement at the deposition stations and transfer from one deposition position to another when creating a multilayer film system;
• accessory system and technological equipment(consist of intra-chamber screens, dampers, manipulators, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators, gas purification devices).

Vacuum deposition technologies are extremely energy intensive and are becoming a niche product in many countries. Many companies are replacing vacuum deposition with more productive and less expensive atmospheric plasma deposition.

Thermal vacuum spraying.

The thermal vacuum method for producing thin films is based on heating a substance in vacuum until its active evaporation and condensation of the evaporated atoms on the substrate surface. The advantages of the thin film deposition method by thermal evaporation include high purity of the deposited material (the process is carried out under high and ultrahigh vacuum), versatility (films of metals, alloys, semiconductors, dielectrics are deposited), and relative ease of implementation. The limitations of the method are uncontrolled deposition rate, low, variable and unregulated energy of the deposited particles.

The substance to be sprayed is placed in a heating device (evaporator), where it evaporates intensively at a sufficiently high temperature. In the vacuum, which is created inside the chamber by special pumps, the molecules of the evaporated substance freely and rapidly propagate into the surrounding space, reaching, in particular, the surface of the substrate. If the substrate temperature does not exceed the critical value, the substance condenses on the substrate, that is, the film grows. At the initial stage of evaporation, in order to avoid contamination of the film due to impurities adsorbed by the surface of the evaporated substance, as well as to bring the evaporator to operating temperature a damper is used to temporarily block the flow of the substance onto the substrate. Depending on the functional purpose film during the deposition process, the deposition time, thickness, electrical resistance or some other option. Upon reaching the set value of the parameter, the damper again blocks the flow of the substance and the process of film growth stops. Heating the substrate with a heater before deposition promotes the desorption of atoms adsorbed on its surface, and during deposition creates conditions for improving the structure of the growing film. A continuously operating pumping system maintains a vacuum of the order of 10-4 Pa.

The heating of the evaporated substance to temperatures at which it evaporates intensively is carried out by an electron or laser beam, microwave radiation, using resistive heaters (by direct transmission electric current through a sample of the desired substance or heat transfer from a heated coil). In general, the method is distinguished by great diversity both in terms of the methods of heating the evaporated substance and in the designs of evaporators.

If it is required to obtain a film from a multicomponent substance, then several evaporators are used. Since the evaporation rates of different components are different, it is rather difficult to ensure the reproducibility of the chemical composition of the obtained multicomponent films. Therefore, the method of thermal vacuum deposition is used mainly for pure metals.

The entire process of thermal vacuum deposition can be divided into three stages: the evaporation of atoms of a substance, their transfer to the substrate, and condensation. Evaporation of matter from the surface takes place, generally speaking, at any temperature other than absolute zero. If we assume that the process of evaporation of molecules (atoms) of a substance proceeds in a chamber whose walls are sufficiently heated and do not condense vapor (reflect molecules), then the evaporation process becomes equilibrium, that is, the number of molecules leaving the surface of the substance is equal to the number of molecules returning to substance. The vapor pressure corresponding to the equilibrium state of the system is called the pressure of saturated vapor, or its elasticity.

Practice shows that the process of film deposition on a substrate occurs at a rate acceptable for production if the saturated vapor pressure is approximately equal to 1.3 Pa. The temperature of a substance at which pi = 1.3 Pa (pi is the saturated vapor pressure at the evaporation temperature) is called the conditional temperature Tusl. For some substances, the conditional temperature is higher than the melting point Tm, for some it is lower. If Tusl< Тпл, то это вещество можно интенсивно испарять из твердой фазы (возгонкой). В противном случае испарение осуществляют из жидкой фазы. Зависимости давления насыщенного пара от температуры для всех веществ, используемых для напыления тонких пленок, представлены в различных справочниках в форме подробных таблиц или графиков

The second stage of thin film deposition is the transfer of substance molecules from the evaporator to the substrate. If the rectilinear and directed motion of molecules to the substrate is ensured, then a high material utilization factor can be obtained, which is especially important in the deposition of expensive materials. Other things being equal, this also increases the film growth rate on the substrate.

As the substance evaporates, the flow rate and radiation pattern for most types of evaporators gradually change. Under these conditions, sequential processing of immovable substrates leads to a scatter in the values ​​of film parameters within a batch processed in one vacuum cycle. To improve reproducibility, the substrates are mounted on a rotating disk-carousel. As the carousel rotates, the substrates alternately and repeatedly pass over the evaporator, due to which the deposition conditions for each substrate are leveled and the effect of temporary instability of the evaporator is eliminated. The third stage of thin film deposition is the stage of condensation of atoms and molecules of a substance on the substrate surface. This stage can be conditionally divided into two stages: First stage– from the moment of adsorption of the first atoms (molecules) on the substrate to the moment of formation of a continuous coating, and the final stage, at which the film grows homogeneously to a given thickness.