Effect of Laser Power on Microstructure and Tribological Performance of Ni60/WC Bionic Unit Fabricated via Laser Cladding
The unique structures and properties of natural organisms provide abundant inspiration for surface modification research in materials science. In this paper, the tribological advantages of radial ribs found on shell surfaces were combined with laser cladding to address challenges in material surface...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Metals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/7/771 |
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| Summary: | The unique structures and properties of natural organisms provide abundant inspiration for surface modification research in materials science. In this paper, the tribological advantages of radial ribs found on shell surfaces were combined with laser cladding to address challenges in material surface strengthening. Laser cladding technology was used to fabricate bionic units on the surface of 20CrMnTi steel. The alloy powder consisted of a Ni-based alloy with added WC particles. The influence of laser power (1.0 kW–3.0 kW) on the dimensions, microstructure, hardness, surface roughness, and tribological properties of the bionic units was investigated to enhance the tribological performance of the Ni60/WC bionic unit. The microstructure, phase composition, hardness, and tribological behavior of the bionic units were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), a microhardness tester, and a wear tester. Experimental results show that the dimensions of the bionic units increased with laser power. However, beyond a certain threshold, the growth rate of the width and height gradually slowed due to heat conduction and edge cooling effects. The microstructure primarily consisted of equiaxed and dendritic crystals, with grain refinement observed at higher laser powers. The addition of WC resulted in average hardness values of 791 HV<sub>0.2</sub>, 819 HV<sub>0.2</sub>, 835 HV<sub>0.2</sub>, and 848 HV<sub>0.2</sub> across the samples. This enhancement in hardness was attributed to dispersion strengthening and grain refinement. Increasing the laser power also reduced the surface roughness of the bionic units, though excessively high laser power led to a roughness increase. The presence of WC altered the wear mechanism of the bionic units. Compared to the wear observed in the N60 sample, the wear amount of the WC-containing samples decreased by 73.7%, 142.1%, 157.5%, and 263.1%, respectively. Hard WC particles played a decisive role in enhancing tribological performance of the bionic unit. |
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| ISSN: | 2075-4701 |