Microstructure and Tribological Behavior of Laser in Situ Synthesized TiC-Reinforced Fe-Based Composite Coatings

Fe-based composite coatings reinforced with TiC particles were prepared by laser surface engineering from precursor of ferrotitanium and graphite. Microstructure of the composite coatings was comprised of dendritic TiC dispersed in a ferrite matrix. In situ dendritic TiC was formed by mechanism of precipitating from the liquid Fe–Ti–C alloy system. Composite coatings showed a substantial increase in microhardness in comparison to that of the substrate. Dry sliding wear tests performed at room temperature revealed that the in situ composite coating possessed a considerably reduced wear volume loss owing to the presence of in situ synthesized TiC. A relatively smooth surface was observed for in situ TiC/Fe composite coating due to its high resistance to ploughing and adhesion, which is caused by the uniformly dispersed TiC reinforcement with high volume fraction.