Effect of microstructure on wear performance of NiCrSiBC coatings

An investigation was conducted to determine the extent to which the microstructure of NiCrSiBC alloy coatings influences micro-abrasive wear resistance. The wear performance of the complex microstructure in coatings is strongly dependent on nature of the strengthening particles. Processing conditions can be altered to manipulate these particles and therefore to design coatings to address specific service demands. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the relationship between microstructure and micro-abrasive wear performance of NiCrSiBC coatings. Differences in the microstructure of coatings were imposed by processing with Plasma Transferred Arc (PTA) and High-Power Diode Laser (HPDL). The microstructures of NiCrSiBC coatings were evaluated using EDX, XRD, SEM techniques and hardness measurements. Wear performance was assessed by micro-abrasive wear tests in which normal load, sliding distance and ball sliding speed were varied. A suspension of alumina in water was used as the abradant. The features of the strengthening particles were observed to depend on the imposed solidification/cooling rate. A faster cooling rate, produced by HPDL processing, displayed block shape chromium borides (CrB) in finer structure coatings. This contrasted with PTA-processed coatings which exhibited floret-shape chromium borides (Cr5B3) in a coarser microstructure. Higher hardness coatings with finer microstructure exhibited lower abrasive wear resistance than the coatings with coarser microstructure.