Sliding Wear Behavior of HVOF-sprayed Cr3C2–NiCr/CeO2 Composite Coatings at Elevated Temperature up to 800 °C

Four types of Cr₃C₂–NiCr coatings containing different fractions of CeO₂ additive were deposited using high velocity oxy-fuel spraying. Hardness tester, X-ray diffractometer, contact surface profiler, and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer were employed to characterize the microhardness, phase composition, surface roughness, and microstructure of as-sprayed coatings. At the same time, the friction and wear behavior of the as-sprayed coatings sliding against Si₃N₄ ball at room temperature and elevated temperature of 400 or 800 °C under unlubricated condition was evaluated using an oscillating friction and wear tester. The worn surfaces of the composite coatings and Si₃N₄ counterpart balls were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and three dimensional non-contact surface profiler. The friction and wear mechanisms of the coatings with and without CeO₂ additive were comparatively discussed. Results show that the composite coatings doped with CeO₂ had better wear-resistance than that without CeO₂, and the coating containing 4 wt% CeO₂ showed the best wear-resistant property. The improved wear-resistant properties of the composite coatings doped with CeO₂ were attributed to the refined microstructure and improved mechanical properties induced by CeO₂.