Study on Erosion Behavior of Laser Wire Feeding Cladding High-Manganese Steel Coatings

High-manganese steel (HMnS) coating was prepared using laser wire feeding cladding technology. Erosion damage behavior and erosion rate of both the HMnS coating and the HMnS substrate were investigated at room temperature using an erosion testing machine. SEM/EDS, XRD, EPMA, and microhardness analyses were used to characterize the cross sections of the coating and matrix, as well as the morphology, phase composition, and microhardness of the eroded surface. The phase composition, orientation characteristics, and grain size of the eroded surfaces of both the coating and substrate were examined by using the EBSD technique. The erosion mechanism under different erosion angles was revealed. By analyzing the plastic deformation behavior of the subsurface of the HMnS coating, the impact hardening mechanism of the high-manganese steel coating during the erosion process was investigated. The results demonstrated that the HMnS coating, prepared through laser wire feeding cladding, exhibited excellent metallurgical bonding with the substrate, featuring a dense microstructure without any cracks. The erosion rate of the coatings was lower than that of the substrate at different erosion angles, with the maximum erosion rate occurring at 35° and 50°. The damage to the coating and substrate under low-angle erosion was primarily attributed to the micro-cutting of erosion particles and a minor amount of hammering. At the 90° angle, the dominant factor was hammering. After erosion, the microhardness of both the coating and substrate sublayer increased to 380HV0.3 and 359HV0.3, respectively. Dendrite segregation, refined grains, low-angle grain boundaries, and localized dislocations, generated by laser wire feeding cladding, contributed to the deformation process of HMnS. These factors collectively enhance the hardening behavior of HMnS coatings, thereby providing excellent erosion resistance.