In marine environments, steel friction pairs undergo significant degradation due to the combined effects of wear and corrosion, known as tribocorrosion. This study investigates the tribocorrosion behavior and mechanisms under high loads of a High Entropy Alloy (HEA) FeCrNiCoAl coating applied by HVOF spraying, as well as cast ingot FeCrNiCoAl and 304SS samples, in artificial seawater. The investigations were conducted using electrochemical methods and in situ wear- electrochemical techniques. The tribocorrosion rate of the HVOF coating is approximately 1/5 that of the HEA cast ingot and 304SS samples. This is attributed to the coating's high hardness and the supporting and isolating effects of its oxide layers between splats. An intriguing finding is that the Open-Circuit Potential (OCP) trough value of the HVOF coating coincides with the peak Coefficient of Friction (COF) value during tribocorrosion in artificial seawater. This is due to the exposure of fresh surfaces following the local peeling off of flattened particles. Furthermore, the coating exhibits high re-passivation capabilities during wear because of high oxygen content in the coating. In comparison to corrosion, wear-induced material loss was identified as the primary contributor (≥ 99.8 %) to mass loss in both HEA cast ingot and coating samples. Optimizing the quantity and morphology of the HVOF coating has the potential to further enhance its tribocorrosion resistance. This study lays the foundation for developing advanced tribocorrosion-resistant coatings for use in seawater environments.
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