A study on abrasive resistance of Ni-based coatings with a WC hard phase

To improve the wear resistance of the piston ring and cylinder liner for the automobiles in desert area applications, an experimental study has been made for Ni-based composite coatings deposited on traditional cast substrates by plasma spraying with laser post-treatment. Three Ni-WC composite coatings with varied contents of WC particles were tested. Tribological experiments were carried out under abrasive conditions on a commercial Falex-6 friction and wear test machine. The test results showed that the composite coatings with a WC hard phase have improved abrasive wear resistance in comparison with current ring/cylinder materials, and the best one is a laser-treated plasma-sprayed Ni60 + 60% WC coating. The wear mechanism of the composite coatings was discussed on the basis of microscopic observations of worn surfaces.