Wear Behavior of Ceramic Powder and Solid Lubricant Cladding on Carbon Steel Surface

Thick composite coatings of carbides on a metal matrix are ideal for use in components that are subjected to severe abrasive wear. It is a metal matrix composite (MMC) that is reinforced by an appropriate ceramic phase, a solid lubricant coating to reduce friction and to protect the opposing surface. This study tested the wear behavior of a carbon steel surface after cladding by a gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) method to enhance wear resistance. The microstructures, chemical compositions, and wear characteristics of the cladded surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The coating was uniform, continuous, and almost defect-free, and particles were evenly distributed throughout the cladding layer. The results of wear tests indicate that the friction coefficient of the TiC coating is lower than that of AISI 1020 carbon steel. Thus, the wear depth of the TiC coating is only one tenth of that exhibited by the AISI 1020 carbon steel. The experiments confirm that the cladding surfaces of TiC particles reduce the wear rate and friction.