Wear performance of Fe-Cr-C-B hardfacing coatings: Dry sand/rubber wheel test and ball-on-disc test

Minimizing wear would ensure reduced loss of material, labor and time for numerous branches of industry. Hardfacing coating method is a promising application to overcome this loss. The purpose of the the hardfacing application is to support, repair or improve the surface that is susceptible to abrasion by forming hard phases. The present study was aimed to investigate the wear resistance of iron-based hardfacing coatings which were produced with Fe-Cr-C-B and Fe-Cr-C based filler wires, according to ball-on-disc and dry sand rubber wheel wear tests. During the open arc welding process powder compositions of 100% FeB and 40% FeB + 60% FeCr were transferred to the weld pool, in order to enrich the coating with boron and chromium. Increased FeB content ensured the formation of boride phases such as Fe2B, CrB2, B6Fe23, Cr5B3. Minimum wear loss was obtained in a sample which was coated with Fe-Cr-C-B based filler wire reinforced with 40% FeB + 60% FeCr powder. Formation of massive carbide/boride phases and a tough matrix protected by the high amount of secondary carbides increased the wear resistance. The outcomes showed that the wear resistance is not only correlated with hardness but also affected by the morphology of microstructural constituents.