TiN/Al2O3-reinforced composite coating prepared by reactive nitrogen-arc cladding process

A TiN/Al2O3-reinforced composite coating was fabricated on 45# steel substrate by reactive nitrogen-arc cladding process with Ti-Al2O3-Fe-Ni60A powder blends as cladding materials and pure nitrogen as reactive and protective gas. The microstructure, microhardness, and wear behavior of the composite coating were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), microhardness tester, and the friction abrasion testing machine. The formation mechanism of the phases in the composite coating was discussed. Results show that the composite coating consists of primary TiN/Al2O3 as the reinforcing phase. The ceramic composite coating is metallurgically bonded to the 45# steel substrate. The ceramic composite coating has high hardness and excellent wear resistance.