Microstructure and Properties of Ni60 Alloy Package WC Powder Laser Cladding Coating

WC reinforced nickel-based alloy cladding coating was prepared on the 45 steel substrate by laser cladding Ni60 alloy package WC powder (Ni package WC powder, in brief). The microstructure, phase composition, microhardness and wear resistance of the coating were studied, and compared with those of Ni60 alloy+WC mechanically mixed powder cladding coating. The results show that the two cladding coating were both metallurgically bonded to the substrate. The microstructure of the Ni package WC powder cladding coating was finer than that of the Ni60 alloy+WC mechanically mixed powder cladding coating, and the degree of composition segregation was lighter. The phases of the two cladding coating both included γ-(Ni,Fe) solid solution, WC, Cr₂₃C₆, Cr₇C₃, W₂C, and the structure integrity of WC phase in the Ni package WC powder cladding coating was better. The average microhardness of the Ni package WC powder cladding coating was 933.1 HV, which was slightly higher than that of the Ni60 alloy+WC mechanically mixed powder cladding coating. The average friction coefficient and wear volume of the Ni package WC powder cladding coating were 0.4, 7.52×10^-3 mm³, respectively, both smaller than those of the Ni60 alloy+WC mechanically mixed powder cladding coating, indicating the wear resistance of the Ni package WC powder cladding coating was better than that of the Ni60 alloy+WC mechanically mixed powder cladding coating.