Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Fe-Based Coatings Prepared by Twin Wires Arc Spraying Process

FeB, FeBSi, and FeNiCrBSiNbW coatings were prepared by twin wires arc spraying process on AISI 1045 steel substrate, and the microstructure and phases were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction. The corrosion resistance was investigated by means of electrochemical tests. It was found that FeB coating and FeBSi coating were composed of α-Fe, FeO, and Fe2O3 phases. FeNiCrBSiNbW coating consisted of amorphous phase and α-(Fe, Cr) nanocrystalline phase, with porosity of 1.8%, hardness of 807 Hv0.1 and tensile bonding strength of 52.1 MPa. Three kinds of electrochemical tests were employed to identify the corrosion resistance of the coatings. The results indicated that the FeNiCrBSiNbW coating had a superior corrosion resistance, much better than FeB and FeBSi coatings. It was attributed to the amorphous/nanocrystalline structure and the presence of corrosion-resistant element Cr.