Wear behavior of gas tungsten arc deposited FeCr, FeCrC, and WC coatings on AISI 1018 steel

AISI 1018 low-alloy steel was coated by using FeCr, FeCrC and WC–FeCrC alloy powders and the gas tungsten arc processing (GTA) method. The friction and the wear behavior of the coated surfaces were tested under dry sliding conditions against WC–Co slider. The dry sliding wear tests were performed on a pin on disc machine, and the influence of sliding speed on wear rate was determined. The test results indicate that the wear resistance of AISI-1018 steel can be improved by means of GTA surface alloying, and high chromium ferrochromium powders can be used for high speed applications to reinforce the surface of a low carbon steel with a WC particulate mixture.