Effect of heat input on ultrahard Fe-Cr-B-C-W-Mo-Nb hardfacing

Multicomponent alloys (Cr, Mo, W, Nb, C, B) nanostructured iron base with complex carboborides have been developed to provide great protection against abrasive wear to elements of agricultural and mining machines. These overlays are subject to severe material losses due to impact and abrasion of hard particles and therefore optimizing their wear resistance is critical when it comes to their lifespan, increasing it as a result. The objective of this work was to study the influence of heat input on the wear resistance through of the analysis of the solidification rate. In this sense, the increase of welding speed was produced a decrease of heat input and refined of microstructure. In order to explain these effects, an analysis was made of of the influence of welding speed on the geometry of the deposited metal, dilution with the base metal, microstructural evolution and hardness of iron-based nanostructured deposits with complex carbides. For this, four samples were welded with different speeds; these being 1, 2.5, 5 and 12 mm/s. A semi-automatic welding process was used with a 1.6 mm wire rope used to provide gas protection. The chemical composition was analyzed on a dilution free welded sample. For the each welded sample the dilution percentage was determined, the dimensional survey of the beads was carried out and the microstructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction and optical and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, Vickers microhardness tests were measured in the central area of the beads and the microhardness of phases were measured. The dilution of the deposited metals ranged from 17% to a maximum of 28%. A microstructure formed by a matrix with complex metal carbides and carboborides was observed. The hardness of the beads varied between 960 and 1350 HV2. The highest wear resistance was found in the sample with highest speed welding.