Microstructure and erosive wear properties of Ni-based alloy coating produced by plasma cladding

Using Ni46 alloy powder as the raw material, the erosive wear resistance of stainless steel was improved with Ni-based alloy coating onto the stainless steel by plasma cladding. The coating's microstructure was studied and its microhardness was measured using an HVS1000 micro-hardness tester. The erosive wear resistance of the coating in a slurry erosion tester was investigated. The results show that the mechanical properties of metal materials influenced their erosive wear resistance:the larger the hardness value of the material is, the better the anti erosive wear properties are. On the same experimental condition, the erosive wear rates of the materials follow this rule:Ni-based coating > 0Cr13Ni5Mo > 1Cr18Ni9Ti. The improvement in erosion resistance can be attributed to the solution strengthening of γ-Ni matrix and the presence of large amounts of borides and carbides which withstood the impingement of slurry erosion.