Effect of argon and nitrogen environments on the structure and properties of protective cermet coatings based on titanium borides obtained by electric arc surfacing

The aim of this work was to enhance the mechanical and tribological properties of an alpha titanium substrate by forming a protective cermet coating on its surface. In this study, protective cermet coatings based on titanium borides were prepared by electric arc surfacing in a protective environment. Two types of protective environment were investigated during the surfacing process: (i) inert (argon) and (ii) reactive (nitrogen). The characteristic zones of the deposited layer were established depending on the environment used, and the coating-substrate transition zone was thoroughly examined. It was demonstrated that the formation of the transition zone results from the mutual diffusion of the molten material of the electrode material and the substrate. For the first time, the formation of TiB2-TiN eutectic in the form of whiskers 4-20 mu m wide and 100-300 mu m long distributed in the matrix of the Ti(B,N)x solid solution was established when forming a protective cermet coating in a nitrogen environment. The presence of this TiB2-TiN eutectic led to a significant increase in the hardness of the coating, up to 4.4 times, from 350 to 1530 HV. Tribological tests of surfacing coatings were conducted, and both 2D and 3D profiles of the wear grooves are presented, providing insight into the wear mechanism. It was found that the wear resistance of the cermet coating obtained in a nitrogen environment increased by 5.2 times, while in an argon environment it increased by 3.1 times as compared to the substrate without the protective cermet coating. The results indicate the potential of the developed protective cermet coatings for use in abrasive operating conditions.