Influence of WC particle size and morphology on the performance of NiCu-based composite coatings deposited by laser direct energy deposition

NiCu alloys are commonly utilized due to their outstanding plastic toughness, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity. Nevertheless, their limited hardness and wear resistance have hindered their further development. In this study, 24CrNiMo alloy brake disc was coated with NiCu-based composite coating containing different sizes and forms of tungsten carbide, in order to investigate the effects of tungsten carbide particle characteristics on the microstructure, microhardness and wear resistance of Nickel‑copper composite coating. The results show that the microstructure of the coatings was minimally affected by the size and morphology of the WC particles, while non-spherical WC particles exhibited superior uniformity within the coatings. In terms of microhardness, smaller WC particles demonstrated a more consistent distribution. The ball-disk wear tests revealed that coatings with larger WC particles displayed better wear resistance in sizes, while those with non-spherical WC particles exhibited excellent resistance to wear in morphologies. Additionally, in abrasive wear tests, composite coatings containing spherical WC particles demonstrated superior wear resistance compared to those containing non-spherical WC particles. The diverse wear resistance observed in different wear experiments among the various WC coatings can be attributed primarily to differences in the distribution and preparation methods of the WC particles. Consequently, these findings hold significant promise for the practical application of NiCu-based composite coatings in industry.