Study on friction and wear properties of plasma and laser coatings of aluminium bronze powder

Cu-14Al-X alloys was made into powder and then the powder was coated onto the surface of AISI 1045 steel respectively via plasma spraying and laser cladding technologies. Microstructure and phases of the coating were investigated by EPMA, XRD, SEM et al. Friction and wear properties of the two coatings were tested by RFT-III friction and wear testing machine. The results indicates that the two coatings all consists of beta', alpha, K and gamma 2 phases and the structure of laser cladding is more evenly distributed. Under the condition of boundary lubrication, abrasion mechanism of laser coating remains abrasive grain abrasion. There is also adhesion abrasion under the condition of high load. While abrasion mechanism of plasma coating is slight abrasive grain abrasion and adhesion abrasion under low load. With the load increasing, adhesion abrasion intensifies. In a word, microstructure of laser coating is more even and compact.