The Effect of Different Arc Currents on the Microstructure and Tribological Behaviors of Cu Particle Composite Coating Synthesized on GCr15 Steel by PTA Surface Alloying

In order to improve the tribological performance of the slanted guide pillar, Cu particle reinforced composite coatings were synthesized on the surface of GCr15 steel using the plasma transferred arc (PTA) alloying technique. A systematic experimental investigation was conducted to study the effects of PTA current on the microstructure and microhardness of alloyed coatings. In addition, tribological behaviors at room temperature (RT) and high temperature (HT) were investigated. The results indicate that at low PTA current (70A), due to the insufficient current, no Cu particles are dissolved in the alloyed coating and a Cu-rich layer is observed on the surface. With the increase in the PTA current, Cu particles are gradually dissolved into the alloyed layer and the microstructure of alloyed coating mainly consists of bamboo-like martensite, retained austenite, and dispersed Cu particles. The microhardness of the PTA samples is approximately four times that of the untreated sample. The tribological results exhibit that an abrasive wear at RT and slight abrasive wear with oxidation wear at HT are the dominant wear mechanisms of alloyed coatings. The PTA samples show far superior antifriction properties compared to the untreated and remolten samples at both RT and HT, which can be attributed to the formation of lubricating Cu films and the improvement in microhardness