Investigation of Laser Cladding Process with Composite Coating of Tungsten Carbide and Cerium Oxide CeO ₂ on AH–36 Stainless Steel Material

Laser cladding process provides yet another dimension of the manufacturing method with latest technology that can be used for many applications in the industries, with cladding of composite coatings on the surface that will give a good variety of coatings, helpful for a larger range of applications that will cater to the requirements of society at large. In this article, the coating of two dissimilar metal powders, tungsten carbide (WC) and cerium oxide (CeO 2 ), on a stainless‐steel substrate is demonstrated. Laser beam of fiber optics, operating in a continuous wave mode, is used for the cladding process with three values of laser power: 1750, 1950, and 2100 W. The velocities of the powder flow are 22.36, 25.39, and 27.32 mm s −1 , and the powder feed rates are 2.33, 3.21, and 3.53 gm min −1 . Composite coating of tungsten carbide (WC) and cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) is applied to the substrate, resulting in a clad depth of 1.19 to 1.62 mm and a clad thickness of 1.19 to 1.61 mm on the surface. This coating on the surface will result in good corrosion resistance and increase the wettability of the surface material, making it more durable and long‐lasting, as the adhesion of foreign particles will not occur on the surface.