Wear-resistant electrophoretic deposition (EPD) layer of titanium carbide

A wear-resistant EPD layer of TiC_sub (i.e. sub micrometer titanium carbide) was synthesized by pressureless infiltration sintering. EPD is an ideal technique to form a porous layer that could be thickness modulated by easily change of applied voltage/current. Full melt spreading of NiCrBSiFe on TiC_sub EPD layer and suppression of TiC_sub grain growth can be achieved by substituting TiC_sub with core-shell structure of NiP electroless plated on TiC_sub. In an infiltrated layer, lowering of TiC_sub pushing by solidification front hence homogeneous distribution of TiC_sub along with eliminating porous TiC_sub solid skeletons are essential factors to improve the wear properties. Wear measurement results showed decrement in friction coefficient of NiCrBSiFe (0.29–0.17), amplitude of acoustic emission signals and wear coefficient (variation between 10⁻⁵ and10⁻⁶) by embedding TiC_sub into the NiCrBSiFe layer. It is postulated that melt infiltration of an EPD layer is a practical way to clad wear-resisting layers on the surface.