Tungsten inert gas-assisted surface modification of 1045 steel with SiC particles

AISI 1045 steel is a medium-carbon steel with good strength, hardness, machinability, and weldability. However, it has poor wear and corrosion resistance. This study is an attempt to investigate the feasibility of creating a hard and wear-resistant composite layer on the surface of AISI 1045 steel using SiC particles through the tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. The SiC powder was mixed with sodium silicate glue and polyvinyl alcohol and then applied to the samples using the TIG welding process. The welding voltage was kept constant at 15 V, and the welding current and welding speed were varied from 85 to 95 A and ∼ 0.5 to 1.8 mm/s, respectively. The powder percentage varied between 10 and 30 wt. %. The microstructural evolutions were studied using an optical microscope, a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive spectroscope (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was observed that the microstructure of the surface-modified samples consisted of a dendritic Fe–Si matrix with carbon masses remaining from the partial dissolution of SiC particles. The effect of heat input on the microstructure was also investigated. The hardness of the surface-modified samples increased by about eight times compared to the base metal, and their wear resistance was notably improved. The results of the electrochemical corrosion tests showed an overall improvement in the corrosion resistance of the coated samples compared to the base metal.