Study on preparation and wear resistance of NiCrBSi-WC/Co composite coatings by pulsed magnetic field assisted supersonic plasma spraying

Magnetic field-assisted material processing not only offers excellent mechanical properties of the material but also hinders the formation of defects because of its no contiguity to the material. In this work, the effect of the integration of magnetic field with ultrasonic plasma spraying technology to deposit composite coatings was investigated. NiCrBSi coatings with reinforced WC/Co ceramic particles were deposited using a 5T pulsed magnetic field-assisted supersonic plasma spraying process. The film integrity, mechanical properties, and wear resistance outperformed the traditional plasma spraying coating. The stirring effect caused by the pulsed magnetic field reduced the thermal stress and accelerated the solidification. Nickel-based coatings with a pulsed magnetic field exhibited better wear resistance and high bonding strength. It is attributed to the refinement of grain, even distribution of hard ceramic phase, and dense internal structure. This process opens a new gateway for developing advanced material processing and practical application of high-performance coatings. • Innovative nickel-based coatings were prepared using pulsed magnetic field-assisted supersonic plasma spraying technology. • The effect of the magnetic field is demonstrated by the improvement of the coating properties. • The formation mechanism of NiCrBSi-WC/Co coating prepared by pulsed magnetic field assisted ultrasonic plasma spraying technology was given.