Effect of Carbon Fiber Addition on the Microstructure and Wear Resistance of Laser Cladding Composite Coatings

Abstract

In this study, the effect of carbon fibers (CFs) on the microstructure and wear resistance of Fe-based alloy coating produced by laser cladding was investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and wear tester. The results indicated that with the addition of CFs, the microstructure of the composite coating mainly transformed from α-Fe cellular dendrites and γ-Fe/(Cr, Fe)7C3/CrB eutectics to bulk-like (Cr, Fe)7C3, nano-size B4C, and γ-(Fe, Ni)/(Cr, Fe)23C6 lamellar eutectics. Additionally, the microhardness and wear resistance of the composite coating compared with the original coating both increased by approximately two times. The original coating showed the dominant wear mechanisms of micro-cutting and serious brittle spalling, while the composite coating with CFs showed the main wear mechanism of slight scratching.

Hybrid Laser Deposition of Fe-Based Metallic Powder under Cryogenic Conditions

“…Chen et al investigated the laser cladding of Fe-based coatings on rotating shafts made of 35CrMo steel, working in the seawater environment [33]. They successfully produced high-quality coatings characterized by high hardness and better corrosion resistance compared with the base metal of the substrate [33].Another interesting example of manufacturing a high performance Fe-based coating is the study conducted by Li et al [34], which was an investigation of the effect of carbon fibers addition to Fe-based coatings produced by laser cladding. They demonstrated a significant increase in the microhardness and wear resistance of the composite coatings containing also nano-size carbides [34].Hou et al investigated the influence of scanning speed during the laser cladding of Fe-based amorphous coatings on the microstructure and properties of coatings [35].…”

“…Another interesting example of manufacturing a high performance Fe-based coating is the study conducted by Li et al [34], which was an investigation of the effect of carbon fibers addition to Fe-based coatings produced by laser cladding. They demonstrated a significant increase in the microhardness and wear resistance of the composite coatings containing also nano-size carbides [34].…”