MICROSTRUCTURE AND TRIBOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF SELF-LUBRICATE CLADDING PRODUCED BY TUNGSTEN INERT GAS AND MICROWAVE HYBRID HEATING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

The wear reduction of moving components is highly desirable because wear limits their reliability and service life, mainly at elevated temperatures. This study produced thick clads of NiCrSiB/WC/MoS2/BaF2 by tungsten inert gas (TIG) and microwave hybrid heating (MHH) cladding techniques, which were compared for microstructural and high-temperature tribological properties. The clad samples were subjected to sliding contact using a pin on disc tribometer at 200°C, 400°C, 600°C under 20 and 40N load. The worn surface was analyzed using FESEM, XRD and three-dimensional (3D) profilometer. The experimental results revealed a significant effect of the TIG current and MHH exposure time on the microhardness value, which predominantly depends on the morphological characteristics. The average hardness of TIG clads was found to be 1.2 times higher than the MHH clad. Because of the MoS2 and BaF2 encapsulation, the continuous lubricant layer formation compensated for improved wear resistance with good reliability and longer service life. This work provides significant insights into the wear behavior of TIG and MHH clads at elevated temperatures and the prospective applications in turbines, where inadequate wear resistance of titanium alloy is the major concern for its use. © 2022 World Scientific Publishing Company.