Effect of wt% molybdenum content on the tribological properties of WC-10Ni/Mo coatings at elevated temperatures

Abstract

Maraging Steel is widely used in automotive and aerospace components; however, it should not be exposed to high temperatures because of its poor wear and friction characteristics. This study investigates the effect of temperature on WC-10Ni coatings with the addition of molybdenum from 10 to 30 wt% applied on a Maraging Steel using a high-velocity oxy-fuel technique. A ball-on-disc tribometer with Al₂O₃ as a counterpart was used to evaluate the wear and friction properties of the coatings at RT, 300, and 600 °C and 10 and 30 N of load. The coating characterization was carried out using SEM, XRD, density measurements, microhardness testing, porosity evaluations, surface roughness measurements, and bond strength assessment. The wear rate and mechanism are ascertained using a 3D profilometer and SEM-EDS. The outcomes demonstrate that the WC-Ni/10 %Mo coating has greater bond strength and microhardness than the WC-Ni/20 %Mo and WC-Ni/30 %Mo coatings. The wear rate of the substrate increases with increasing temperature. The WC-Ni/20 %Mo and WC-Ni/30 %Mo coatings showed increasing wear rates until 300 °C, decreasing at 600 °C. At 600 °C, coatings included oxide phases such as NiWO₄, WO₃, MoO_3, and NiMoO₄, which helped lower the wear rate and coefficient of friction. Moreover, when temperatures rose, the coefficient of friction for all three coatings and substrates dropped. At all loads and temperatures, the WC-Ni/10 %Mo coating was well performed compared to WC-Ni/20 %Mo, WC-Ni/30 %Mo coating, and substrate regarding coefficient of friction and wear resistance. In particular, fatigue and abrasive wear predominated at RT, but oxidative, adhesive, and abrasive wear were all seen at 600 °C. The volumetric loss of the ball for WC-Ni/10 %Mo is higher than that of WC-Ni/20 %Mo and WC-Ni/30 %Mo coatings due to the higher hardness of WC-Ni/10 %Mo coating.