Abstract
The main objective of this study is to compare the wear resistance of coatings obtained by gas metal arc (GMA) welding, wire arc spraying, and high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) spraying. Tungsten and chromium carbide (WC-Co and CrC-NiCr), iron alloy (Vecalloy B and 140-MXC), and 420 stainless steel coatings were deposited on low carbon steel substrates by the appropriate method. The coatings were examined by optical and scanning electron microscopy, showing no signs of spallation nor relevant level of defects. WC-Co coatings obtained by HVOF spraying exhibited the best abrasive wear resistance. Nanostructured Fe-alloy coatings applied by wire arc spraying performed almost 50% better than HVOF sprayed CrC and only 15% worse than WC-17Co. The erosion resistance of the two WC-Co coatings was very close, although WC-12Co was slightly better possibly due to its higher microhardness, lower porosity, and higher residual compressive stresses.
