High Power Diode Laser Clad Cu-WC-Ni Composite Coatings on Brass for Wear Resistance Enhancement

Abstract

To improve the wear resistance of brass substrate while retaining the electrical conductivity, laser cladding was applied to Cu-WC-Ni composite coating on brass using High Power Diode Laser. Microstructures, phase constitution and wear properties are investigated by means of scanning electronic microscopy with energy disperse spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, as well as microhardness test and speed friction and wear test. The result shows that microhardness and wear resistance of clad coating were improved obviously compared with the brass substrate owing to the addition of WC ceramic phase, when the content of WC is 25%, the hardness of coating is 4 times of substrate, as well the cumulation mass loss is 1/19 of substrate. Electrical conductivity did not change as copper powder had high electrical conductivity.

Effect of volume fraction on microstructure and wear behavior of dual-phase brass/W surface composites fabricated via friction stir processing

“…Though laser treatment can be deployed to prepare surface composites over metallic materials, it is difficult to conduct laser on brass due to the high reflectivity and vaporization of Zn. 14,15 Friction stir processing (FSP) is an alternate methodology that is feasible to fabricate surface composites. FSP is versatile enough to fabricate most combinations of matrix and reinforcement regardless of physical and chemical properties, which is a challenging task in other routes.…”

“…Though laser treatment can be deployed to prepare surface composites over metallic materials, it is difficult to conduct laser on brass due to the high reflectivity and vaporization of Zn. 14,15…”