Investigation of Cu–Fe-based coating produced on copper alloy substrate by laser induction hybrid rapid cladding

•The crack-free Cu–Fe-based coating was produced on Cu alloy substrate by LIHRC.•The maximum Vs and the maximum m• were 3200 mm/min and 110 g/min, respectively.•Many fine Cu-rich grains were precipitated inside Fe-rich particles.•Smaller Fe-rich particles were embedded inside larger Cu-rich spherical particles.•Microhardness of coating was much three times higher than that of Cu alloy substrate.

The Cu–Fe-based coating was produced on copper alloy substrate by laser induction hybrid rapid cladding (LIHRC). The results showed that the maximum laser scanning speed and the maximum powder feeding rate can be increased to 3200 mm/min and 110 g/min, respectively. The coating was mainly composed of α-Fe and ε-Cu phases. At the bottom of coating, Cu-rich matrix took on planar growth and columnar dendritic morphology. In the center of coating, Fe-rich spherical particles containing a supersaturated Cu were embedded in Cu-rich matrix and many fine Cu-rich grains were precipitated inside the Fe-rich spherical particles. However, at the top of coating, the smaller Fe-rich spherical particles were embedded inside the larger Cu-rich spherical particles which were embedded in the dendritic Fe-rich matrix. The microhardness of coating was much three times higher than that of substrate.