Experimental Study on the Effect of Ultrasonic Impact on the Microstructure of Laser Cladding TC4 Alloy Coating
摘要
To investigate the effect of ultrasonic-assisted laser cladding (UALC) on the microstructure of TC4 alloy coatings under different ultrasonic impact power levels, a TC4 coating was first deposited on the surface of a TC4 substrate via laser cladding. Subsequently, ultrasonic impact was applied to complete the UALC process. The phase composition, microtopography, and three-dimensional surface morphology of the coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and confocal microscopy. The influence of ultrasonic impact on the coating microstructure was analyzed. The results indicate that with increasing ultrasonic impact power, the β-phase gradually transforms into the α-phase, and the coating grains become progressively refined. At an ultrasonic impact power of 700 W, the grain boundary density increases and the grain size is reduced to 1.389 μm. Benefiting from fine-grain strengthening and interface strengthening effects, the coating hardness is improved, reaching an optimal value of 454.47 HV, which is 138.65 pct higher than that of the unprocessed sample. At this power level, the friction coefficient of the coating reaches a minimum of 0.2780, the wear depth is reduced to 34.926 μm, and the attrition rate is decreased to 1.72 × 10−15 m3/(N m), demonstrating excellent wear resistance.