Ti-based composite coatings with gradient TiCx reinforcements on TC4 titanium alloy prepared by laser cladding

• Published in: Science China. Technological sciences Vol. 57; no. 7; pp. 1454 - 1461
• Main Authors: Liu, ShuNv, Liu, ZongDe, Wang, Yang, Yue, Peng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science China Press 01-07-2014
• Subjects: Engineering; TC4钛合金; 扫描电子显微镜; 涂层制备; 温度梯度; 激光熔覆; 维氏硬度; 金属陶瓷复合涂层; 钛基; composite coating; titanium alloy; microhardness; laser cladding; NiTi; TiC
• ISSN: 1674-7321; 1869-1900
• DOI: 10.1007/s11431-014-5566-5

TiCx-NiTi2/Ti cermet composite coatings C1 and C2 with gradient TiCx reinforcements were prepared on TC4 titanium alloy by laser cladding method. The microstructure and phase compositions were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, energy-dispersive spectroscopy（EDS） and X-ray diffraction（XRD） meter. The TiCx exhibited a dendritic microstructure, and homogeneously dispersed in the Ti-based matrix where NiTi2 was embedded. With increasing ingredient supercooling, temperature gradient and cooling temperature, the dendrites displayed a finer morphology with longer primary trunks and intensified side branches in the dilution zone. But the smoothed, coarse columnar ones became dominant in the upper clad layer due to the repeated energy input during multi-track cladding. The Vickers microhardness presented a linear change trend through the cross-sections, which well confirmed the gradient distribution of TiCx. With more TiCx, C1 presented higher hardness than C2.