Erosive wear behavior of Ti(C,N)-based cermets containing different Cr3C2 addition in slurry conditions

• Cr3C2 addition refines the grain size and improves mechanical properties.
• Erosion resistance is enhanced by Cr3C2 addition in 350 rpm conditions.
• Erosion resistance depends on mechanical properties in 350 rpm conditions.
• Cermets with1.0–1.3 μm grain size have the best resistance in 750 rpm conditions.
• Grain pull-out plays a significant role on erosion failure in 750 rpm conditions.

In the paper, Ti(C,N)-based cermets with Cr3C2 additions were prepared, and the effects of Cr3C2 content on the erosive wear of cermets were investigated in solid–liquid erosion conditions. The results indicated that Cr3C2 addition refined the ceramic grain and improves the mechanical properties of cermets. With the variation in Cr3C2 addition up to 7 wt.%, the cermets showed two different trends of erosion resistance in the 350 rpm and 750 rpm erosion conditions. In the 350 rpm erosion condition, the erosion resistance of cermets was strengthened with Cr3C2 addition because of the improvement of the mechanical properties, and the resistance depended strongly on the mechanical properties. In the 750 rpm erosion condition, the enhanced mechanical properties did not exhibit a continuous increase of the erosion resistance of materials, and the conditions were too severe for the material. Binder loss, grain fracture and then fragments removal were the main deterioration behavior of cermets in the erosion conditions. Furthermore, the grain pull-out played a vitally important role on the degradation of cermets with fine grains in the 750 rpm conditions.