Cermet Versus Ceramic Coatings – How Do You Choose?
Ceramic coating does not include binders, like cobalt, nickel, chromium, titanium or tungsten. More complex than typical oxides, the cermet coating is usually carbide-based, bonded with a metallic. It is the addition of metal that gives the “cermet” (ceramic-metallic) unique properties. Maybe it is improvement in mechanical toughness you need. Or better heat transfer, thermal resistance or protection from corrosion that is required. Metal binders of the cermet coating can add “synergism”, performance properties not found in the ceramic coating or individual metals, alone. Here, we will take a look at the need for mechanical toughness, heat transfer or thermal resistance, and corrosion protection, using both ceramic coating and cermet coating, to see which type is best. Let us start with toughness versus hardness. Ceramics are hard. Of course they are well known for their resistance to severe abrasion. They maintain great structural rigidity. But what about frictional applications invol
