Niobium carbide compostie coatings on SS304 using laser engineered net shaping (LENS™)

- Addition of niobium carbide increases wear resistance of SS304.
- Use of additional laser pass can improve wear resistance of boron nitride reinforced SS304 composites.
- Laser based additive manufacturing can be used to design new composite materials with improved functionality.

In this study, niobium carbide - stainless steel 304 (SS304) metal matrix composite was processed using laser engineering net shaping (LENS). By laser bonding NbC particles with SS304, the NbC dispersed at the grain boundaries and in the lattice. XRD results showed that NbC addition caused lattice strain, which resulted in the strengthening of the matrix metal, increase hardness, and a >75% decrease in wear rate. The carbides became abrasive particles in the metal during wear, which increased the wear resistance along with the coefficient of friction (COF). Such coating approach via LENS™ could be utilized in specific locations to protect existing steel parts or be added to new ones that may be sensitive to wear degradation as opposed to treating the entire part surface.