Influence of Al2O3–Y2O3 and Ce–Al–Ni amorphous alloy on physical properties of laser synthetic composite coatings on titanium alloys

• Nanoscale particles, nanorods and amorphous phases were produced in such LC coating.
• The amorphous/nanocrystalline interface owns a high bonding energy.
• Amorphous/nanocrystalline interface may retard the growth of nanocrystals in a certain extent.
• With the addition of Ce–Al–Ni amorphous alloy, the lots of micro/nanosize ASNPs were produced.

An amorphous-nanocrystal reinforced composite coating was fabricated on Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy by laser cladding (LC) of the Al3Ti–TiB2–(Ni-coated WC)–Al2O3–Y2O3 mixed powders. Test results indicate that the lots of the nanoscale particles (NP), nanorods and amorphous phases were produced in such coating. Amorphous/nanocrystalline interface owns a high bonding energy, which may retard the growth of nanocrystals in a certain extent. With Ce–Al–Ni amorphous addition, amorphous surrounded nanopolycrystals (ASNPs) were produced after the LC process. Although coarser microstructure was obtained with productions of ASNPs, the Ce–Al–Ni addition played an important amorphization effect on such LC coating, which was beneficial in increasing wear resistance of the LC coating.