Enhancement in the corrosion resistance of WC coatings by adding a Fe-based alloy in simulated seawater

•A composite coating was formed by adding Fe-based alloy powder to WC.•Composite coating displays a partial amorphous phase character.•Composite coating exhibits better corrosion resistance than a single WC coating.

In this study, a composite coating was formed by adding Fe-based alloy powder to WC powder using a high velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying process. The microstructure, wear, and corrosion properties of the single WC coating and composite coating were studied in detail. It was observed that the composite coating displays a partial amorphous character and closely adheres to the WC matrix. The composite coating exhibited an extremely dense structure with a porosity of 1.5%. Polarization tests demonstrated that the composite coating exhibited better corrosion resistance than a single WC coating in simulated seawater. The reasons for the observed enhanced corrosion resistance have been discussed from the perspective of structure and the elemental composition of the alloys.