Comparison of erosion performance of uncladded and WC-based laser cladded SS304 and SS410 steels

Myriad hydro materials have been encountered with the severe attacks of eroded particles during the operation, leading to degradation of target material and economic loss. In this study, Colmonoy-6+WC powders were deposited with the help of the laser cladding method on the bare SS304 and SS410 steel surfaces. Distinct properties of cladded surfaces, such as mechanical as well as metallurgical properties, were investigated. The influence of slurry erosion parameters like angle of impact and impact velocity of eroded particles on the cladded as well as uncladded steel specimen was analysed. Under all slurry erosion conditions, there was an escalation in slurry erosion resistance in the case of cladded steel as that of as-received steel specimens. In slurry erosion, the influence of the impact velocity of erodent particles is more against the impact angle. The scanning electron microscopy images of eroded uncoated steel specimens represent ductile behaviour along with the formation lip, ploughing etc., while eroded cladded steels exhibit brittle behaviour.