Influence of interlayer time on the microstructural state of CoCrMo coatings applied by selective laser melting on an iron-based substrate for different numbers of layers

Abstract

The Selective Laser Melting process was used to perform cobalt-based alloy coatings on a C35 steel substrate. The relationships between interlayer times, iron dilution, crystalline structures, and micro-hardness were studied for different numbers of layers with an initial lased powder layer of 50 µm thickness. Reducing the interlayer time increased the temperature reached in the melting bed and promoted matter transport from the substrate. The coating thickness consisted of a Co-Cr-Fe mixture, divided into two zones: a transition zone near the interface and a stabilized zone towards the substrate. The real coating thickness was found to be always greater when the interlayer time was reduced. For an interlayer time equal to 11 s (series 2), the iron dilution was always higher than for an interlayer time ranging between 42 s and 16 s (series 1), leading to a higher coating thickness. The microstructural state was also dependent on the interval time between successive layers. The coating microstructure was always cellular because of the high cooling rate. XRD analysis of the surface showed that this microstructure is essentially composed of two non-equilibrium phases: FCC and α’ BCC. The high hardness is due to the high content of iron which induces a martensite phase (series 2). Starting from 5 layers for series 1 and from 6 layers for series 2, the α’ BCC phase disappeared if the iron content on the coating surface was reduced by more than 45% content in weight. The mean coating hardness decreased with an increasing number of layers because of the decrease in the iron content. Finally, the micro-hardness of the FCC phase, for its part, was found to be dependent on the iron content in solution in the Co matrix.