Phase separated characteristics and soft magnetic properties of [Cu0.6(FeCrC)0.4]100-xSix immiscible composites by laser induction hybrid cladding

The effect of Si addition on phase separation and soft magnetic properties of [Cu-0.6(FeCrC)(0.4)]100-Si-x(x) (x = 3 and 8) immiscible composites produced by laser induction hybrid cladding (LIHC) has been investigated. The duplex structure of immiscible composites was composed of many Fe-rich particles dispersed within Cu-rich upper layer and large amounts of Cu-rich particles embedded within Fe-rich lower layer. However, the increasing Si addition not only induced the precipitation of intermetallic compound Cu6.69Si within Cu-rich upper layer, but also increased the area of Fe-rich layer, the size of Fe-and Cu-rich particles, as well as the solubility of Si in Fe-and Cu-rich phases. Moreover, the microhardness of Fe-and Cu-rich layers was increased to 747.3HV(0.2) and 302.6HV(0.2) in the Cu-55.2(FeCrC)(36.8)Si-8 immiscible composite, respectively, which was similar to 1.6 and similar to 1.8 times higher than that in the Cu-58.2(FeCrC)(38.8)Si-3 immiscible composite, due to solid-solution strengthening and dispersion strengthening. Compared to the Cu-58.2(FeCrC)(38.8)Si-3 immiscible composite, the Cu-55.2(FeCrC)(36.8)Si-8 immiscible composite presented a saturated magnetization of 13.7 emu/g, relatively lower coercivity of 24.9 Oe and higher Curie temperature of larger than 400 K due to appearance of ferromagnetic alpha-Fe(Si) phase. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.