Microstructure and tribological properties of laser clad Ti ₂Ni₃Si/NiTi intermetallic coatings

Wear resistant Ti₂Ni₃Si/NiTi full intermetallic composite coatings with a microstructure consisting of ternary metal silicide Ti₂Ni₃Si primary dendrites and interdendritic Ti ₂Ni₃Si/NiTi eutectic were fabricated on a substrate of 0.2%C low carbon steel by the laser cladding process using Ti-Ni-Si alloy powders as the precursor materials. Microstructure of the coatings was characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). Wear resistance of the laser clad Ti₂Ni₃Si/NiTi intermetallic coatings was evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results indicate that the Ti₂Ni₃Si/NiTi intermetallic coatings have excellent abrasive and adhesive wear resistance under dry sliding wear test conditions because of the unique combination of high yield strength and toughness of the intermetallic compound NiTi and the high hardness, strong covalent dominant atomic bonds and possible strong hardness anomaly of the ternary metal silicide Ti₂Ni₃Si with MgZn₂ type Laves crystal structure.