Wear properties of reactive plasma clad (Cr,Fe)₇C₃/γ-Fe ceramal composite coatings

An in-situ reinforcing phase (Cr,Fe)₇C₃ ceramal composite coating was fabricated on the substrate of a 0.45% carbon steel using Fe-Cr-C elemental powder blending by reactive plasma clad process. The microstructure and micro-hardness of the coating were evaluated by SEM, XRD, EDS and micro-hardness instrument, the room temperature and high temperature wear properties were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions, and the wear mechanism was discussed. The results indicated that the reactive plasma clad ceramal composite coating has a rapidly solidified microstructure consisting of primary (Cr,Fe)₇C₃ and (Cr,Fe)₇C₃/γ-Fe eutectics, with excellent wear properties under both room-temperature and high-temperature sliding wear test conditions.