Development of wire consumables for overlay deposition by hot-wire TIG welding

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The proposed work will involve the evaluation of Ni-based wear resistant composite coatings reinforced with tungsten carbide, deposited using a novel welding process that uses a pulsed current wire heater. The performance of these Ni-WC composites can be optimized by ensuring a high fraction of the tungsten carbide particles are retained during fabrication. These coatings are presently applied mainly by plasma transferred arc welding, where overheating of the material often leads to the formation of a wide range of other brittle carbides with inferior wear resistance. This Engage project will establish the feasibility of using HC Starck Ni-WC wire products in conjuction with a novel hot-wire TIG approach, and set the groundwork for further collaborations. A combination of quantitative electron microscopy (SEM, EPMA, and AES), microhardness indentation, and wear testing will evaluate the performance of the overlay made using a combination of HC Starck material and the hot-wire TIG system incorporating a pulsed wire power supply. The intent is that this Engage grant would set the background and conduct preliminary benchmark studies required for a subsequent CRD application.