Fractal analysis of surfaces roughened by grit blasting

Surfaces roughened by grit blasting influence the adhesion strength of plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings. The average surface roughness has been used to evaluate the surface topography of such surfaces. It is well known that the adhesion strength of ceramic coatings reaches a maximum value at a certain substrate surface roughness. However, this result cannot be understood based on only surface roughness. The blasted surface has fractal characteristics. There are two types of fractal surfaces, which are characterized by self-similarity and self-affinity. Using fractal analysis to evaluate the surface topography of substrates, the fractal dimension was measured for the roughened surfaces. The maximum fractal dimension was attained at a blasting angle of 75°, where the adhesion strength also reached approximately its maximum value. It is concluded that the fractal dimension is a more appropriate measure than the average surface roughness for evaluation of the adhesion strength of ceramic coatings.