Recent Advance on Metal Carbides Reinforced Laser Cladding Coatings.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Surface Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Laser cladding fabricates composite coatings, improving metal substrate surface properties and expanding applications.
• Metal carbides offer exceptional hardness, high melting points, and chemical stability, making them ideal reinforcing agents for metal-based coatings.
• A comprehensive review on metal carbide-reinforced laser cladding coatings is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in metal carbide-reinforced laser cladding coatings.
• To classify and summarize research based on the type of metal carbide used as reinforcement.
• To offer insights into current challenges and future research directions in this field.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on metal carbide-reinforced composite coatings fabricated via laser cladding.
• Classification of coatings based on carbide types: WC, TiC, NbC, Ti_n+1AlC_n (MAX), and Cr₃C₂, TaC.
• Summarization of preparation methods, microstructural characteristics, and application performance for each category.

Main Results:

• Detailed summaries of WC, TiC, NbC, MAX, and Cr₃C₂, TaC reinforced coatings, including their fabrication and properties.
• Demonstration of how these carbide reinforcements significantly enhance coating hardness and stability.
• Identification of diverse applications enabled by the improved surface properties of these composite coatings.

Conclusions:

• Metal carbide reinforcements are highly effective in improving laser cladding coating performance.
• The review categorizes and analyzes various carbide-reinforced systems, highlighting their unique attributes.
• Future research should address current issues and explore new avenues for developing advanced composite coatings.