Effect of ZrO2 addition on the dry sliding wear behavior of laser clad Ti6Al4V alloy

The relationship between microstructure and wear behavior of Ti6Al4V alloy and three laser-clad composite coatings (TiNi, TiNi5ZrO2, and TiNi10ZrO2) was investigated. Dry sliding wear tests were carried out using a ball-on-disk wear tester under varying loads. WC was used as the counterface material. The results showed that additions of ZrO2 refined the microstructure of TiNi from a dendritic to a flower-like microstructure. An improvement in the microindentation hardness value was also observed. Results indicated that the wear volume of clad TiNi alloy decreased with the addition of ZrO2 particles. The microstructural changes due to ZrO2 additions played a significant role in the wear performance of the clad TiNi alloy. Analysis of worn surfaces and wear debris indicated that the dominant wear mechanism for the Ti6Al4V alloy was adhesive wear with ploughing.