Microstructure and Friction and Wear Behavior of Induction Clad Ni-Based Composite Coating Reinforced with Micro- and Nano-WC Particulates

Ni-based composite coating reinforced with micro- and nano-WC particulates was fabricated on Q235 steel by induction cladding, using the powders of Ni60 alloy and micro-and nano-WC as the raw materials. The microstructure of the composite coating was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The wear resistance of the composite coating sliding against AISI1045 steel in a ring-on-block configuration under unlubricated condition was evaluated using an MM-200 test rig. It was found that the induction clad Bi-based composite coating had a rapidly solidified homogeneous microstructure consisting of accumulated nano-WC particles and micron WC particles uniformly distributed in the γ-Ni solid solution matrix and was metallurgically bonded to the substrate. This accounted for the high hardness and excellent wear resistance of the induction clad Ni-based composite coating under dry sliding condition. Namely, the excellent eutectic strengthening effect, diepersive strengthening effect, and refining effect of the micro-and nano-WC particles uniformly distributed in the Ni-matrix contributed to greatly increase the hardness and wear-resistance of the Ni-based composite coating.