Effect of vanadium on microstructure and wear behaviour of Fe based C–B–Ni hardfacing alloy

To investigate the influence of chemical compositions of different hardfacing alloys on wear performance experimental high vanadium Fe–C–B–Ni alloys in the form of blended powders have been cast in a laboratory furnace and analysed in three configurations: hypereutectic, near-eutectic and hypoeutectic. The solidification behaviour was defined by differential scanning calorimetry while the main microstructural features were characterised by microscopy, X-ray diffraction and microhardness as well as pin-on-disc wear tests.Fe–V rich powders to an originally hypereutectic Fe–C–B–Ni alloy induced the shift to hypoeutectic solidification and promoted the presence of larger quantities of hard V-rich carbides. The new V-bearing alloys showed higher wear performance and higher bulk hardness than the reference alloy. The improved wear properties were mainly due to the precipitation of fine V-rich carbides that effectively reinforced the structure without any evidence of pull-out and cracking of the smaller particles.