Comparative wear in titanium diboride coatings on steel using high energy density processes

A comparison between the tribological properties of titanium diboride (TiB2) deposited using high energy density processes such as Pulse Electrode Surfacing (PES) and Laser Surface Engineering (LSE) has been made. The wear resistance of TiB2 coated surface is higher than AISI 1010 steel. The wear resistance of the LSE coated TiB2 coating is even better than that of the PES deposited TiB2 coating. Coefficient of friction values for LSE coated TiB2 coating (μ=0.6) are lower than PES deposited TiB2 coating (μ=0.7). Wear occurs in PES deposited TiB2 coating by brittle fracture and attrition type mechanisms whereas mixed adhesive–abrasive wear in LSE deposited TiB2 coating occurs by localized plastic deformation of the soft matrix phase Fe from a “composite” layer on the surface.