Tribological Properties of Laser-Cladded NiCrBSi Coatings Undergoing Friction with Ti6Al4V Alloys

This work aims at reducing abrasion between titanium alloy parts, such as drive shafts and support pairs used in aviation. Three different NiCrBSi coatings, Ni40, Ni50, and Ni60, are prepared on surfaces of Ti6Al4V by laser cladding. The microstructural and mechanical properties of these coatings are analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a microhardness tester. The tribological properties of the NiCrBSi coatings undergoing friction with Ti6Al4V are tested using a wear testing machine. The results show that the Vickers hardnesses of the Ni40, Ni50, and Ni60 coatings are 490 HV0.3, 609 HV0.3, and 708 HV0.3, respectively. For the above NiCrBSi coatings, more hard phases are produced with increases in the amounts of Cr in the powders, resulting in increases in the coatings’ hardnesses. The wear test results show that the NiCrBSi coatings could reduce the friction coefficients, which gradually decreased with increases in the coatings’ hardnesses. Both the coating-specific wear rates and the friction pair wear losses initially decreased and then increased. The Ni50 coating and the Ti6Al4V friction pair undergoing friction with the Ni50 coating showed the best wear performance, with a specific wear rate and wear loss of 0.51 × 10−7 mm3/(N·m) and 7.8 mg, respectively. The specific wear rates for Ni50 were only 8.4%, 35.4%, and 37.0% of the Ti6Al4V, Ni40, and Ni60, respectively. In addition, the friction pair wear loss was only 36.4%, 52.5%, and 55.3% of that while undergoing friction with Ti6Al4V, Ni40, and Ni60, respectively. The NiCrBSi coatings prepared on the surface of Ti6Al4V show excellent antifriction and wear resistance properties, providing a viable solution for the design of wear-resistant coatings on load-bearing and non-load-bearing titanium alloy parts.