The effect of iron-based hardfacing with chromium powder addition onto low carbon steel

Abstract

Hardfacing with the martensitic electrode is the interesting way for prolonged life of severe wear in machine parts and very useful in industries because it is easier and lower cost than changing the new one. Powder addition in welding procedure has been a new technique to improve welding alloy properties. This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of chemical composition, macrostructure, microstructure, welding dilution and hardness of iron-based hardfacing with chromium powder addition on to low carbon steel. Using Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) process, the single hardfacing layer was deposited on low carbon steel plate. Commercial low carbon electrode and various amounts of chromium powder addition were used for the hardfacing layer. The hardfacing with powder addition was compared with the hardfaced layer using martensitic type electrode. Optical emission spectrometer (OES) and Optical microscope (OM) were used to analyze the chemical composition and macro/microstructure of hardfacing. Micro-hardness of the cross-sectional hardfacing was also studied. The results of these research revealed that microstructure of hardfacing layer without powder consist of ferrite and pearlite. The microstructure of hardfacing with powder addition showed martensite phase and ferrite. Increasing amount of powder mixture showed lower welding dilution and higher hardness values of the hardfacing layer, on the other hand, microstructure and hardness values of hardfacing welded with the martensitic type electrode are different to that of hardfacing welded with powder addition.