Elevated-temperature wear performance of NiCr-B hardfacing alloy deposited on 316L stainless steel via GTAW process
摘要
Nickel-based hardfacing alloys are prevalent in applications demanding superior wear resistance at high temperatures. However, the wear resistance of these alloys is compromised by iron (Fe) dilution when deposited on iron-based substrates. In this study, alloy 625 is used as a buffer layer to mitigate substrate dilution and enhance wear resistance. The buffer layer introduced elements such as molybdenum (Mo) and niobium (Nb) into the hardfacing via diffusion during its deposition on the stainless steel substrate, thereby influencing its microstructure and wear resistance properties. Both hardfacing (ER NiCr-B alloy) and buffer layers (alloy 625) were deposited via the manual gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. Microstructural analysis was conducted using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Microstructure showed a typical dendritic microstructure with interdendritic regions consisting of carbides and borides. The use of the buffer layer showed evidence of the reduced degree of Fe dilution. Wear testing was performed using a pin-on-disc tribometer at room temperature (303 K), 423 K, and 573 K. Results showed a decrease in the wear rate of hardfaced alloy as compared to 316L stainless steel substrate. The use of a buffer layer showed a nominal effect on the wear performance of the hardfaced deposit. An overall improvement in wear performance was observed. The SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses of the worn surface showed that the wear mechanism was predominantly stable oxide layer formation in only hardfacing deposition while oxide layer cracking its debris acting as a lubricant in hardfacing with layer depositions.