Microstructure and wear characteristics of laser-clad Ni-based self-lubricating coating incorporating MoS2/Ag for use in high temperature

Abstract

Nickel-based self-lubricating cladding containing Ag and MoS2 was prepared on Ti6Al4V alloy using laser cladding. The microstructure, microhardness and wear behaviour were measured and analysed. The coating was mainly composed of Ti2Ni and TiNi as the matrix, and TiC and TiB2 as the reinforcements. A new phase of Ti2SC was synthesized in situ in the coating, whereas Mo was consolidated in the matrix. The microhardness of the coating is greatly increased by in-situ generation of reinforcement phase and solution strengthening, with an average hardness of 823.6HV0.2, which is about 2–3 times that of the substrate. When the temperature increased to 600 °C, the coefficient of friction and wear rate of the coating decreased. The friction coefficient and the wear rate of the coating were greatly reduced at 800 °C. The wear rate of the coating decreased to 4.85 × 10−6 mm3, which decreased by nearly an order of magnitude compared with the coating's wear rate at room temperature. The anti-friction effect of the lubricating phase not only counteracted the effect of the decreased hardness on the wear rate, but also played a more obvious anti-friction effect. In the high-temperature stage, MoO3 and silver molybdate compounds produced by the tribological chemical reaction of wear surfaces could significantly improve the density of the enamel layer on the wear surface.