Enhancing the tribological performance of titanium alloy with laser-cladded Cu-containing coating

Titanium alloys are widely used in marine applications, but their poor wear resistance limits their performance. Here, coatings with different Cu contents (0–9 wt.%) were fabricated on Ti80 alloy via laser cladding. The Cu-free coating comprises α′ martensite, whereas the Cu-containing coatings comprise both α′ martensite and Ti 2 Cu phases. The 9 wt.% Cu coating exhibits twice the hardness of the substrate, resulting from the solid solution strengthening, precipitation hardening, and grain refinement. Furthermore, wear resistance was improved significantly, with the 9 wt.% Cu coating exhibiting a wear rate reduced to just 6 % of the substrate, which attributed to the enhanced hardness, the lubricating effect of Cu, and Ti 2 Cu precipitation. This work offers a promising strategy for developing high-performance, wear-resistant of Ti alloy coatings for marine applications.