A comparative study of the tribological performances of laser clad TiB2-TiC-Al2O3 composite coatings on AISI 1020 and AISI 304 substrates

► TiB2-TiC-Al2O3 ceramic composite coatings have been developed by combined SHS and laser cladding on AISI 1020 mild steel and AISI 304 stainless steel substrates. ► Micro-hardness and wear resistance of the coatings are considerably higher than those of the substrate materials. ► The thermal properties of the substrate materials are found to have significant effects on the microstructure and tribological performance of the coatings.