High-Temperature Oxidation, Corrosion, and Wear Resistance of Cr-xAl Laser Coated on Metal Zr Surface

Zr alloy with laser-melted Cr coatings exhibits excellent resistance to high-temperature oxidation and are widely used in the nuclear industry. To examine the impact of adding Al on the high-temperature oxidation performance, corrosion, and wear resistance of the coatings, Cr-xAl coatings with varying Al contents were applied to the pure Zr surface using laser cladding. Research results show that laser cladding coatings reveal good interdiffusion between the coatings and the substrate. The hardness and thickness of the coatings increase with the increase in Al content, but the quality of the coatings decreases with the increase of Al elements. A comparison of the high-temperature oxidation weight gain curve and morphology of different samples at 800-1100 degrees C shows that the oxidation weight gain of Cr-xAl coatings is about half of that of the uncoated substrate, exhibiting excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance. Conclusions drawn from friction morphology and volume loss indicate that the wear volume of Cr and Cr90Al10 coatings is approximately 1/5 of the substrate, demonstrating significantly improved wear resistance compared to the substrate.