Microstructure and fatigue properties of plasma transferred arc alloying TiC-W-Cr on gray cast iron

► XRD, EDAX and TEM confirmed un-melted TiC remained at the AZ after PTA alloying. ► The first to use Weibull distribution on studying fatigue life of PTA alloying. ► The first to indicate fatigue life became scatter after high energy beam treatment. ► The (Fe,Cr)7C3 caused crack deflection at the interface of the eutectic. ► Fatigue crack growth rate could be retarded at low stress intensity.