Addition Of Cr3C2 Research Articles

Effects of Cr3C2 addition on microstructure and corrosion properties of Cr3C2/15–5PH composite coatings on 12Cr13 by laser cladding

The application of laser cladding technology to prepare iron-based composite coatings has significant advantages in improving the surface properties of 12Cr13 stainless steel. 15–5PH composite coatings reinforced with Cr3C2 particles of different contents (0–25 wt%) were prepared on the 12Cr13 surface by the coaxial powder feeding laser cladding system. The microstructure, phase composition, element distribution, corrosion resistance and corrosion mechanism of the composite coatings were analyzed and studied by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer and electrochemical workstation. The results indicated that the Cr3C2/15–5PH composite coatings exhibited good macroscopic morphology and dilution rate under appropriate laser cladding process parameters. The addition of Cr3C2 particles changed the main phase from α-Fe to γ-Fe and formed new carbide phases (M7C3 and Cr23C6). The Cr3C2/15–5PH composite coatings exhibited a typical microstructure with rapid solidification characteristics, and the addition of Cr3C2 significantly changed the grain size. The distribution of Fe, Ni, and Cr elements in the composite coatings was uniform, and the relative content of Cr elements increased and remained at high level. The 15-5PH composite coating with 15 wt% Cr3C2 exhibited a lower corrosion current density and higher impedance modulus values. The surface of this composite coating had no obvious corrosion pits, and the passive film effectively retarded the further corrosion by the Cl- ions on the surface during the electrochemical corrosion process. By preparing a 15–5PH composite coating with 15 wt% Cr3C2 on the surface of 12Cr13, the corrosion resistance of the surface can be effectively improved.

Assessment of the microstructure, adhesion and elevated temperature erosion resistance of plasma-sprayed NiCrAlY/cr3C2/h-bn composite coating

This study uses an air jet erosion tester to investigate the erosion behavior of NiCrAlY/Cr3C2/h-BN composite coatings that are plasma-sprayed at three different temperatures and 40 m/s on T22 boiler steel alloy. 30 and 90° are the impingement angles. To identify the erosion mechanism, SEM and X-ray diffraction techniques are used to analyze the surface morphology and phase generated on the eroded surface. Findings of erosion test indicate that the erosion resistance was notably enhanced by addition of Cr3C2 and h-BN because of its lubricating characteristics and capacity to reduce frictional forces during erosion. The combined influence of Cr3C2 and h-BN enhanced the coating hardness and erosion wear resistance, thereby improving its overall resistance to erosion. The weight loss method was employed to calculate the erosion rate, and the NiCrAlY/Cr3C2/h-BN coating showed up to 30.55% and 34.48% lower erosion rate as compared to uncoated T22 substrate at 600 °C for 30° and 90° impact angles, respectively. This characteristic is affected by the hard reinforcement Cr3C2's high-temperature stability, the h-BN's self-lubricating ability, the formation of a protective oxide layer that forms at 600 °C, and the eroded coating's ductile behavior of material removal. The study also reveals that the NiCrAlY/Cr3C2/h-BN coating system on T22 boiler steel alloy has excellent erosion resistance, making it suitable for use in high-temperature and erosive environments in boiler systems and similar industries.

Effect of Cr3C2 Addition on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of WC-CoNiFe Cemented Carbides

In traditional cemented carbides, Co is mainly used as a binder. Recently, replacing Co with medium- to high-entropy alloys has shown significant improvements in hardness, fracture toughness, high-temperature oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance, making it a research focus globally. Both the typical grain refiner Cr3C2 and medium- to high-entropy alloy binders affect the WC grain size in cemented carbides. This study investigates the synergistic grain refinement mechanism of Cr3C2 and medium- to high-entropy alloy binders on WC grains and their impact on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cemented carbides. The results show that increasing the Cr3C2 addition refined WC grains in the WC-CoNiFe alloy, increased coercivity, and enhanced hardness, with transverse rupture strength first increasing and then decreasing. The alloy achieved optimal performance at 0.6 wt.%Cr3C2, with a hardness of 91.25 HRA and transverse rupture strength of 3883.2 MPa.

Cr3C2 assisted ultrafast high-temperature sintering of TiC

The strong covalent bonding of TiC renders its densification through conventional sintering difficult. Here, we propose a method involving liquid-phase-assisted ultrafast high-temperature sintering (UHS) for obtaining nearly full density of TiC ceramics by the addition of Cr3C2. The samples were heated at a rate of 600 °C/min to 2200 °C and held at this temperature for 1 min. The effects of sintering parameters and the Cr3C2 content on the relative density and microstructure of the sintered samples were investigated. The main causes of rapid densification were particle rearrangement associated with the Cr3C2 liquid phase, dissolution-reprecipitation associated with the solid solution, and the weak evaporation of Cr formed during UHS. In particular, the addition of Cr3C2 helped increase the hardness and elastic modulus of TiC significantly. This paper presents an effective and extensible method involving UHS for rapidly obtaining dense ceramics.

Effects of WS2 and Cr3C2 addition on microstructural evolution and tribological properties of the self-lubricating wear-resistant CoCrFeNiMo composite coatings prepared by laser cladding

Effects of WS2 and Cr3C2 addition on microstructural evolution and tribological properties of the self-lubricating wear-resistant CoCrFeNiMo composite coatings prepared by laser cladding

Solving the problem of solidification cracking during additive manufacturing of CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloys through addition of Cr3C2 particles to enhance microstructure and properties

In this study, TiAl and Cr3C2 particles were added to a high-entropy CrMnFeCoNi alloy through powder mixing and selective laser melting (SLM) with the aim of acquiring both high SLM processibility and an excellent combination of high strength and ductility with a post-process aging treatment. By only adding 4 at.% TiAl particles into CrMnFeCoNi, a number of cracks were found in as-printed samples for the processing conditions under investigation, promoted by a considerable increase in solidification range and gradient in the late stage of solidification. However, further addition of 2.5 at.% Cr3C2 particles into (CrMnFeCoNi)96(TiAl)4 reduced the solidification range and gradient, allowing to successfully suppress hot cracking. The as-printed (CrMnFeCoNi)96(TiAl)4 samples are characterized by γ grains each containing a group of cells oriented along a similar direction, with the matrix decorated by a small number of nano-sized Al2O3 and σ particles and the cell boundaries with segregated Ti. The addition of Cr3C2 transformed the segregated Ti at the cell boundaries into discrete TiC nanoparticles. On aging at 650 °C, a high density of long-range ordered domains with considerable B2 and σ precipitates formed. Compared to the SLM-processed CrMnFeCoNi, the as-printed (CrMnFeCoNi)96(TiAl)4 displays a reduced 0.2% yield strength and significantly reduced ductility due to the presence of cracks. Conversely, the as-printed (CrMnFeCoNi)96(TiAl)4 + Cr3C2 samples showed a slightly enhanced yield strength and considerably improved UTS. Aging significantly improves both strength properties while maintaining the good ductility. The long-range ordered domains and precipitation clearly are effective in impeding dislocation motion and can be considered to be the prime source of the increased strength of the dual-particle containing alloy.

Corrosion Resistance of Nanostructured Cemented Carbides with Alternative FeNi and FeNiCo Binders.

Nanostructured cemented carbides with Co binders have shown excellent mechanical properties in various applications. Nevertheless, their corrosion resistance has shown to be insufficient in different corrosive environments, leading to premature tool failure. In this study, WC-based cemented carbide samples with different binders were produced using 9 wt% of FeNi or FeNiCo with the addition of Cr3C2 and NbC as the grain growth inhibitors. The samples were investigated using electrochemical corrosion techniques: the open circuit potential Ecorr, the linear polarization resistance (LPR), the Tafel extrapolation method, and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at room temperature in the solution of 3.5% NaCl. Microstructure characterization, surface texture analysis, and instrumented indentation were conducted to investigate the influence of corrosion on the micro-mechanical properties and the surface characteristics of the samples before and after corrosion. The obtained results indicate a strong binder chemical composition's effect on the consolidated materials' corrosive behavior. Compared to the conventional WC-Co systems, a significantly improved corrosion resistance was observed for both alternative binder systems. The study shows that the samples with the FeNi binder are superior to those with the FeNiCo binder since they were almost unaffected when exposed to the acidic medium.

Effect of Cr3C2 addition on the microstructure, magnetic and mechanical properties of TiC–TiN–WC–C–Ni cermets

This study explored the effect of Cr3C2 content (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mol%) on the microstructure, magnetic properties and mechanical behavior of TiC–10TiN–6WC–4C–(15,30) Ni (mol%) cermets after vacuum sintering. The results show that just Ti-based carbonitride ceramic grains and Ni-based binder phase were presented in the experimental cermets, and the mean size of ceramic grains reduced with the increase of Cr3C2 content. By adding Cr3C2 into cermets, the Cr concentration in binder phase obviously raised. However, Ti concentration in binder phase decreased continuously as Cr3C2 content increased, while the W concentration remained nearly constant. Saturation magnetization and remanence of cermets decreased with increasing Cr3C2 content, which was primarily ascribed to the increased amounts of antiferromagnetic Cr element in the Ni-based binder phase. When Cr3C2 content exceeded 0.5 mol%, cermets became paramagnetic at room temperature. Cermets with 15 and 30 mol% Ni had Curie temperatures of roughly 138 K and 28 K by 2 mol% Cr3C2 addition, respectively. Therefore, Cr3C2 addition is very effective in suppressing the ferromagnetism of cermets. Moreover, transverse rupture strength and hardness of cermets first raised and then declined with the addition of Cr3C2.

A low-cost and high-performance casted titanium matrix composite with Cr3C2 additions

A low-cost, high performance TiC reinforced titanium matrix composite was successfully fabricated using an in situ reaction casting method. The results showed that the morphology and distribution of TiC in the microstructure were the more important factors affecting the properties of composites. And due to the second phase strengthening of the TiC and the Cr element solid solution strengthening for titanium matrix, it provides exceptionally high strength and toughness (1034.5 MPa ultimate tensile strength and 9.0 % elongation) for titanium structural components and increases extremely high hardness (50.4HRC) for titanium wear-resistant components. This study provides additional options for the application of low-cost titanium components.

Effects of nano WC and Cr3C2 on grain growth, microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-coarse cemented carbides

Ultra-coarse cemented carbide is widely used in construction and mining fields, but it is difficult to achieve good coordination between WC grain size and mechanical properties by traditional technology. In this paper, ultra-coarse cemented carbide was successfully prepared by the synergies of nano-powder activation and Cr3C2 grain growth inhibition. The specific effects of nano WC powder and Cr3C2 on WC grain growth at various stages and the microstructure and performances for ultra-coarse cemented carbide were investigated. The result shows that nano WC powder had no significant effect at the solid phase sintering stage, but could promote the WC grain growth at the liquid phase sintering stage. Cr3C2 was able to inhibit the WC grain growth at both the solid phase and liquid phase sintering stages, the WC grain size distribution of the alloy was more uniform. But excessive Cr3C2 would lead to the appearance of pores, weakening the mechanical properties of the alloy. The most suitable addition amount of Cr3C2 was 0.5 wt%. The simultaneous addition of nano WC and Cr3C2 guaranteed the ultra-coarse cemented carbide with uniform microstructure and excellent mechanical properties, its TRS, hardness, and average WC grain size were 2753 MPa, 1047 kg/mm2, and 6.63 μm.

Investigation on mechanical properties of ZTA+ Cr3C2 + Ni reinforced EN31 steel-based composite material: Micromechanical finite-element analysis

The present investigation deals with the development of EN31 steel-based metal matrix composite material under the ultrasonic vibration effect by providing 20 kHz frequency. In the process of the development of composite material, primary and secondary reinforcement has been taken as zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) and Cr3C2 (chromium (II) carbide), respectively. The Ni has also been taken as dissolving reinforcement material and its weight percentage (wt.%) is kept constant at 2.5%. The variation in ZTA weight percentage was selected between 1.25% and 10%. Furthermore, the weight percentage of Cr3C2 has been kept constant (2.5 wt.%) throughout the development of different composite samples. The microstructural investigation indicated the fair distribution of reinforcement particles up to the 3.75 wt.% of ZTA, developed with the ultrasonic vibration effect. Furthermore, the addition of 2.5 wt.% of nickel in the EN31 steel has improved the wettability of ZTA and Cr3C2 particles. The best values of hardness (254.22 BHN) and tensile strength (892.15 MPa) were achieved with the composition of EN31/3.75 wt.% ZTA/2.5 wt.% Cr3C2/2.5 wt.% Ni composite material sample. Furthermore, the tensile strength and hardness of EN31 steel matrix material were improved by about 45.065% and 100.36% respectively. The addition of ZTA and Cr3C2 decreases the ductility of EN31 steel matrix material. The addition of 2.5wt.% Ni powder with ZTA+ Cr3C2 improved the ductility of EN31 steel. The results revealed that the mechanical properties (tensile strength, hardness, and ductility) of the developed composite material were further improved after performing the heat treatment process. Furthermore, an approach has been made to investigate the micro-mechanical deformation of EN31/3.75 wt.% ZTA/2.5 wt.% Cr3C2 metal matrix composite representative volume element (size: 225 × 225 × 225 nm) with finite-element analysis (FEA). The maximum stress (895.60 MPa) is generated at matrix–particle interfaces, which is the main reason for failure. The percentage difference between FEA and experimental results was less than 10%.

Ultra-high temperature ceramics based on ZrB2 obtained by pressureless sintering with addition of Cr3C2, Mo2C, and WC

ZrB2-MeC and ZrB2-19 vol% SiC-MexCy where Me=Cr, Mo, W were obtained by pressureless sintering. The capability to promote densification of ZrB2 and ZrB2-SiC matrices is the highest for WC and lowest for Cr3C2. The interaction between the components results in the formation of new phases, such as MeB (MoB, CrB, WB), a solid solution based on ZrC, and a solid solution based on ZrB2. The addition of Cr3C2 decreases the mechanical properties. On the other hand, the addition of Mo2C or WC to ZrB2-19 vol% SiC composite ceramics leads increased mechanical properties. Long-term oxidation of ceramics at 1500 °C for 50 h showed that, in binary ZrB2-MexCy, a protective oxide scale does not form on the surface thus leading to the destruction of the composite. On the contrary, triple composites showed high oxidation resistance, due to the formation of dense oxide scale on the surface, with ZrB2-SiC-Mo2C displaying the best performance.

Influence of Cr3C2 Additions to AISI H13 Tool Steel in the LPBF Process

Tool steels are known to be difficult to process by laser powder bed fusion as they were not designed to fit the welding or additive manufacturing (AM) process route. Hot cracks and cold cracks are known to occur in such alloys. To gain insights on limits of alloying contents regarding primary carbides in the melt, powder blends based on AISI H13 with additions of Cr3C2 carbides are processed by laser powder bed alloying (LPBA) herein. The LPBA process is evaluated based on demixing phenomena observed in the macroscopic chemical composition of the specimen. In‐depth microstructural analyses are carried out to understand the metallurgical behavior of the new alloy and are accompanied by Calphad modelling. Hardness tests characterize the alloy's suitability as a novel tool steel. The alloy's hot cracking tendency is reduced by systematic additions of Cr3C2 to AISI H13 which narrow the solidification interval. Hardness tests after martensitic hardening without annealing have shown the applicability of the new alloy as AM tool steel. Apparent chemical gradients over the build plate demonstrate that further research is needed to improve the technology of LPBA for processing these novel alloys.

Influence of Co Content and Chemical Nature of the Co Binder on the Corrosion Resistance of Nanostructured WC-Co Hardmetals in Acidic Solution.

The electrochemical corrosion resistance of nanostructured hardmetals with grain sizes dWC < 200 nm was researched concerning Co content and the chemical nature of the Co binder. Fully dense nanostructured hardmetals with the addition of grain growth inhibitors GGIs, VC and Cr3C2, and 5 wt.%Co, 10 wt.%Co, and 15 wt.%Co were developed by a one cycle sinter-HIP process. The samples were detailly characterized in terms of microstructural characteristics and researched in the solution of H2SO4 + CO2 by direct and alternative current techniques, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Performed analysis revealed a homogeneous microstructure of equal and uniform grain size for different Co contents. The importance of GGIs content adjustment was established as a key factor of obtaining a homogeneous microstructure with WC grain size retained at the same values as in starting mixtures of different Co binder content. From the conducted research, Co content has shown to be the dominant influential factor governing electrochemical corrosion resistance of nanostructured hardmetals compared to the chemical composition of the Co binder and WC grain size. Negative values of Ecorr measured for 30 min in 96% H2SO4 + CO2 were obtained for all samples indicating material dissolution and instability in acidic solution. Higher values of Rp and lower values of icorr and vcorr were obtained for samples with lower Co content. In contrast, the anodic Tafel slope increases with increasing Co content which could be attributed to more pronounced oxidation of the higher Co content samples. Previously researched samples with the same composition but different chemical composition of the binder were introduced in the analysis. The chemical composition of the Co binder showed an influence; samples with lower relative magnetic saturation related to lower C content added to the starting mixtures and more W dissolved in the Co binder during the sintering process showed better corrosion resistance. WC-5Co sample with significantly lower magnetic saturation value showed approximately 30% lower corrosion rate. WC-10Co sample with slightly lower relative magnetic saturation value and showed approximately 10% lower corrosion rate. Higher content of Cr3C2 dissolved in the binder contributed to a lower corrosion rate. Slight VC increase did not contribute to corrosion resistance. Superior corrosion resistance is attributed to W and C dissolved in the Co binder, lower magnetic saturation, or WC grain size of the sintered sample.

Influence of Cr3C2 and VC Content on WC Grain Size, WC Shape and Mechanical Properties of WC-6.0 wt. % Co Cemented Carbides.

In this paper, the influences of Cr3C2/VC content on WC grain size, WC grain shape and mechanical properties of WC–6 wt. % Co cemented carbides were investigated. The results showed that the grain size first rapidly decreased and then slightly decreased with the increasing Cr3C2/VC content, and VC led to finer grain size and narrower size distribution. HRTEM/EDS analysis of the WC/Co interface indicates that the segregation concentration of V is much larger than that of Cr, which may be a strong response to the higher inhibition efficiency of VC. The addition of Cr3C2 induced triangular prism shape WC grains while VC generated stepped triangular prism grains. Despite the grain growth inhibitor (GGI) mechanisms of Cr3C2/VC have been extensively studied in the literature, the doping amount, especially the doping limit, has not been systematically investigated. In this work, the saturated solubilities of Cr and V in cobalt binder phase along with carbon content hare been predicted based on thermodynamic calculations. Based on the theoretical calculations, the doping amount of Cr3C2/VC is designed to be gradually increasing until more or less over their maximum solubilities in the binder phase, thereby investigating the subsequent microstructure and mechanical properties. When the doping of Cr3C2/VC exceeds the maximum solubility in Co phase, Co-rich Cr-carbides and Co-deficient V-carbides would form respectively, which were detrimental to the transverse rupture strength (TRS) and impact toughness. The hardness increased with the increasing Cr3C2/VC content, while the fracture toughness decreased with the increasing Cr3C2/VC content. The TRS initially enhanced and then declined, but the stepped triangular prism shape grains and low fraction of WC/Co interface in WC–6Co–VC cemented carbide led to a more pronounced decline in the TRS. The sample with 0.6 wt. % Cr3C2 addition had good comprehensive mechanical properties, its hardness, fracture toughness and TRS were 1880 kg/mm2, 9.32 MPa·m1/2 and 3450 MPa, respectively.

Effect of frictional treatment with a dense cubic boron nitride indenter on the micromechanical properties of the NiCrBSi–Cr3C2 coating

Coatings based on NiCrBSi alloys with Cr3C2 addition can effectively resist wear, corrosion, and oxidation at high temperatures. The use of frictional treatment by sliding indenters as finishing is a modern way to create high surface quality and to enhance the strength and wear resistance of the surface of parts. The article studies the characteristics determined by instrumented microindentation of the surface of a NiCrBSi–Cr3C2 laser clad coating subjected to frictional treatments with a sliding indenter made of dense cubic boron nitride DBN in the air at loads on the indenter of 350, 500 and 700 N, and after grinding. Frictional treatment in the entire considered range of loads contributes to an increase in strength performance, as well as parameters indicating an increased ability of the coating surface to resist elastoplastic deformation. The highest growth of the parameters is observed after frictional treatment at a load of 700 N.

Effects of Cr3C2, VC, and TaC on Microstructure, WC Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Ultrafine WC–10 wt. % Co Cemented Carbides

In this study, the effects of Cr3C2, VC, and TaC on microstructure, WC grain morphology and mechanical properties of WC–10 wt. % Co ultrafine cemented carbides were investigated. The experimental results showed that WC grains size decreased and size distribution became narrow by adding Cr3C2, VC, and TaC. The inhibition efficiency was in the order of VC &gt; Cr3C2 &gt; TaC. Cr3C2 addition would induce triangular prism grains and Co phase was strengthened by Cr3C2, resulting in the enhancement of transverse rupture strength (TRS) and impact toughness. WC morphologies in cemented carbides with VC addition were triangular prisms with multi-steps in basal and prismatic planes due to anisotropic growth. The multi-steps in basal and prismatic planes led to low TRS and fracture toughness. The inhibition mechanism of TaC is to reduce the surface energy of WC and slow down the solution/re-precipitation rate at the WC/Co interfaces by adsorbing on the surface of WC grains. The sample with 0.8 wt. % Cr3C2 had excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. Its Vickers hardness, fracture toughness, TRS and impact toughness were 1620 kg/mm2, 9.94 MPa·m1/2, 3960 MPa and 50.4 J/m2, respectively. In summary, Cr3C2 is the first choice as the grain growth inhibitors (GGI) for the preparation of ultrafine cemented carbides.

Microstructural investigations in binderless tungsten carbide with grain growth inhibitors

The microstructure of binderless tungsten carbide, with small additions of Cr3C2 or VC, was investigated using transmission electron microscopy associated with X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry. The distribution of Cr and V elements was determined. In the material sintered with Cr3C2, numerous (Cr,W)2C grains were found, some of them displaying an epitaxy orientation relationship with the basal facet of adjacent WC grains, and Cr segregation was observed in all examined grain boundaries. In the carbide with VC additive, small V-rich carbides were found at triple junctions of WC grains. Unlike Cr, no V segregation was detected in grain boundaries. The grain growth inhibiting effect of Cr3C2 and VC is very likely different. For Cr3C2, it is supposed that both (Cr,W)2C grains and Cr segregation reduce the mobility of grain boundaries. For VC, probably the grain boundary triple junctions are pinned by small V-rich carbide grains.

Wear behaviour of Cr3C2–Ni cermet reinforced hardfacings

Submerged arc welding (SAW), plasma transferred arc welding (PTAW), and tungsten inert gas welding (TIG) technologies were used to produce austenitic stainless steel (SS) and nickel alloy (Ni) matrix based hardfacings without reinforcement and reinforced by Cr3C2–Ni cermet. As a substrate material normalized structural steel S355 has been chosen. Mechanical properties of produced hardfacings were assessed in terms of hardness (HV/30) and wear resistance tests. The latter property was analysed under different wear conditions: two-body (ASTM G132) and three-body (ASTM G65) abrasive wear tests. Microstructure and phase evolution were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), respectively. Cermet particles in all the conducted tests proved its’ selection – hardness and wear resistance of the reinforced hardfacings substantially increased. The addition of Cr3C2–Ni cermet increased the hardness twice on average in all utilized technologies leading to the higher wear resistance in further tests. Tendency of wear rate reduction is less expressed in SAW hardfacings, but in PTAW and TIG cases the strengthening effect is obvious: 8.6 and 8.1 times higher wear resistance of SS and Ni based PTAW hardfacings, respectively, and 7.5 and 4.8 times higher for TIG hardfacings. XRD analysis supported wear tests results proving the formation of the complex compounds.

Microstructure and mechanical property of high velocity oxy-fuel sprayed WC-Cr3C2-Ni coatings

WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings, with Cr3C2 weight content of 10% and 30%, were fabricated on steel substrate by high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) flame spraying technique, and microstructure, phase composition and mechanical properties of WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings prepared by different oxygen flows were investigated. The results reveal that phase compositions of WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings were mainly influenced by the Cr3C2 content rather than the oxygen flow. WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings demonstrated low decarburization and decomposition of WC due to coarse WC gains and high in-flight particle velocities during HVOF. WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings exhibited low porosities and typical microstructures, where a mixture of fine and coarse WC grains was uniformly embedded in the Ni/Cr3C2 matrix. The microhardness, indentation fracture toughness and elastic modulus of WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings were improved by coarse WC grains, Cr3C2 addition and dense microstructure, which resulted in high wear resistances of WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings. The abrasive wear features with groove, peel-off and exposed/fractured WC grains were observed in WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings after dry-sliding wear. The relationship between microstructure and mechanical property of WC-Cr3C2-12Ni coatings was discussed from the viewpoints of powder properties and process parameters.