Wear resistance optimized by heat treatment of an in-situ TiC strengthened AlCoCrFeNi laser cladding coating

Abstract

An AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy coating containing 20 % mass fraction of TiC was prepared using the laser cladding method. The effect of heat treatment on the coating’s microstructure was analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was observed that following high-temperature heat treatment, the phase transition of AlCoCrFeNi–20%TiC shifted from BCC to FCC at 750 °C. Through microhardness and wear resistance tests, the increased diffusion of carbon post-heat treatment led to a higher precipitation of TiC-reinforced phases, resulting in exceptional wear resistance with a notable 128.3 % enhancement.