The development of nickel-tungsten carbide functionally graded materials by a laser-based direct metal deposition process for industrial slurry erosion applications

Abstract

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) consisting of Ni-tung (nickel-tungsten carbide) powders with different concentrations of tungsten carbide particles are successfully deposited by a laser-based direct metal deposition (LBDMD) process on 4140 steel substrates. The slurry erosion behaviour of the Ni-tung FGMs is studied at different impingement angles. The slurry erosion tests are performed at Southern Methodist University's Center for Laser-Aided Manufacturing using a centrifugal-force-driven erosiontesting machine. For the purpose of comparison, Ni-tung 40 depositions and 4140 steel samples are also tested. The results indicate that the LBDMD process is able to deposit defect-free Ni-tung FGMs with uniform distribution of tungsten carbide particles in a nickelbased matrix. The slurry erosion resistance of Ni-tung FGMs as observed to be much better than that of the Ni-tung 40 and 4140 steels. The superior slurry erosion resistance of Ni-tung FGMs is attributed to the presence of large amounts of very hard tungsten carbide particles. The material removal rate (MRR) values by erosion decrease with a decrease in the impingement angle, except at a 45 impingement angle on 4140 steel. The relationship among the MRRs, the craters' depth of penetration, the areas of the craters formed, the average surface roughness values, and the impingement angles are established for Ni-tung FGMs, Ni-tung 40, and 4140 steels. The surface profiles of the eroded samples are analysed by measuring the depth of penetration of the craters formed by the slurry jet using a needleshaped probe and a linear scale with a digital readout. The damaged surfaces are characterized by scanning electron microscopy to investigate the possible application of a material failure model, called damage initiation and damage propagation, to the case of the impingement of a mixture of solid and liquid particles on the Ni-tung FGMs, Ni-tung 40, and 4140 steels. The potentiodynamic polarization curves are generated for the three tested materials and to discover the susceptibility of the material in an erosive environment.

Slurry Erosion Characteristics and Erosive Wear Mechanisms of Co-Based and Ni-Based Coatings Formed by Laser Surface Alloying

“…[2,3] Tucker et al [4] have shown that the slurry erosion resistance of mixed-particle laser-clad overlays is superior to that of precipitation-hardened alloys. Yarrapareddy et al [5] demonstrated the superior slurry wear properties of nickel-tungsten functionally graded materials developed by laser cladding. Chattopadhyay [6] found excellent erosion resistance in a Stellite 6 plasmawelded overlay on cast-ferritic stainless steel (CA6NM) that is used as a turbine runner material.…”

Influence of microstructure on slurry erosive wear characteristics of laser surface alloyed 13Cr–4Ni steel

“…Tucker et al [10] have shown that the slurry erosion resistance of mixed-particle laser-clad overlays is superior to that of precipitation-hardened alloys. Yarrapareddy et al [11] reported superior slurry wear properties of nickel-tungsten functionally graded materials developed by a laser deposition. Among hardfacing alloys, commercial Co-based Stellite 6 and Ni-based Colmonoy 88 powder are unique alloys that contain mixed chromium tungsten borides and carbides for maximum abrasion and corrosion resistance and also relatively low cost alloys.…”

Reactive Interdiffusion: A Method for Making Composition Graded Metal-ceramic Composites

“…FGMs are superior to monolithic or homogeneous materials for many applications such as armor [3], thermal barrier coatings (TBC) [4], slurry erosion resistant surfaces [5], and thermo and pyro-electric devices [6][7][8]. FGMs are usually prepared by the powder metallurgy technique [3,6,9].…”

“…Sabatello et al [2] have fabricated graded TiC-based cermets by infiltration of porous ceramic preform with molten metal. Using laser-based direct material deposition, Yarrapareddy et al [5] have deposited an FGM consisting of Ni and WC powders on AISI 4140 steel plate. The FGM had a high percentage of discrete WC particles in a Ni matrix, with the percentage of WC varying in each layer of the deposit [5].…”

“…Using laser-based direct material deposition, Yarrapareddy et al [5] have deposited an FGM consisting of Ni and WC powders on AISI 4140 steel plate. The FGM had a high percentage of discrete WC particles in a Ni matrix, with the percentage of WC varying in each layer of the deposit [5]. Put et al [12] have processed WC-Co ceramic-metal FGMs by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) by applying a voltage of 800 V between two parallel flat stainless steel electrodes placed in a polytetraflourethylene cell containing organic acetone/n-butylamine medium in which particles to be deposited were suspended The composition of the deposit was varied by continuously pumping concentrated slurry into the deposition cell.…”