A novel Ti-Fe composite coating deposited using laser cladding of low cost recycled nano-crystalline titanium powder

In this study, for the first time, titanium powder recycled from machining swarf was used for cladding a novel Ti-Fe coating on a titanium substrate. Post deposition microstructures revealed a dendritic structure throughout the composite coating followed by a fine martensitic α′-Ti phase in the heat affected zone. Additionally, iron in the form of Fe2O3 and Fe2C along with TiC and TiO2 phases were also found which significantly contributed to the very high hardness (620-815 HV) of the coating. This hard composite coating can effectively improve the wear resistance of the titanium alloy, thereby finding applications in the aerospace and defence industries.