Characterization and erosion wear behavior of Ni-13%WC8Co microwave clad on AISI-316 steel

A microwave hybrid heating technique was used to develop a protective composite cladding of Ni-13%WC8Co over AISI-316 stainless steel. The metallurgical and mechanical characterizations were done using XRD, SEM, EDS, and Vickers microhardness testers. The erosion wear was assessed at impact angles of 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° and a velocity of 40 m/s. The dilution of clad material with steel resulted in good metallurgical bonding between the two. The SEM images have shown the hard cemented carbides within the soft nickel matrix. The diffraction pattern indicated the formation of WC, NiW, FeNi 3 , Co 2 C, and Co 3 W 3 C 2 phases. Ni-13%WC8Co clad has a microhardness value of 1000.8 HV and a four times lower erosion rate than AISI-316 stainless steel. The craters, scratches and plowing marks are observed on the eroded clad surface. The erosion wear mechanism of Ni-WC-Co clad was mixed ductile-brittle, with an overall lower erosion rate.