Effects of boron on microstructure, wear and corrosion properties of external magnetic field assisted laser metal deposition coatings

Abstract Coatings with different boron content were prepared by magnetic field-assisted Co-based laser metal deposition on 300 M ultra-high strength steel. The effects of boron content on the magnetic properties, mechanical properties, friction and wear properties, and corrosion resistance of the coating were investigated. The research results indicate that adding 6 wt% of boron to cobalt alloy in a 35 mT alternating magnetic field is beneficial for refining the microstructure, which can improve the mechanical properties of the coating. This research also discusses the effect of boron content on the wear and corrosion resistance of the coating. The results show that adding boron content enhances the magnetostrictive effect, and reduces the elastic modulus of the laser metal deposition coating while ensuring its hardness, thereby improving the wear and corrosion resistance of the laser metal deposition layer. The hardness of the coating can reach 1215 HV. The friction coefficient and corrosion current density of the coating are reduced by 26.9% and 60.2% respectively compared with the substrate. This work can help promote the application of laser metal deposition technology, reduce costs, and ensure performance.