Abstract
The aim of this study was to improve the properties of atmospheric plasma sprayed WC-Co-Ni coatings by post treatment with induction heating. The spray powders used were WC-Co-Ni composite powders, produced by adding Ni-P alloy to WC-Co powder. Induction heating applied to the coating caused fusion of the Ni-P alloy with the WC-Co-Ni coating and a strong metallurgical bond with the steel substrate. An innovation in recent experiments was the use of an antioxidant paste applied to the outer surface of the coating under treatment. This eliminated the need for working under the restrictions of a hydrogen gas environment. The properties of the treated coating were investigated regarding microstructure, hardness, adhesive strength, abrasion resistance and porosity.
