Laser Cladding Deposition of a Fe-based Metallic Glass on 304 Stainless Steel Substrates

In the present study, a commercial Fe-based metallic glass (MG) powder was deposited by laser cladding on 304 stainless steel substrates. The main purpose of this work is to study a range of processing conditions that allow the fabrication of well-established deposits. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of the main processing variables on the mechanical properties and phases obtained in the coatings. XRD and SEM characterization was also performed to evaluate the phases and morphology of the deposits obtained. The results suggest that dense Fe-based MG cladded coatings require high thermal energy for deposition, and high dilutions were obtained in final deposits; however, the cooling rate is not enough to obtain 100% amorphous deposits. Although the MG structure observed in the precursor powders was not kept in the final deposits, the precipitation of crystalline phases resulted in very high hardness (> 700 HV0.1), which improved wear resistance against the substrate material. The processing of this alloy by laser cladding is promising when coatings with high hardness and wear resistance are required and can be a good alternative to the thermal sprayed process in which these alloys are conventionally processed.