Analysis of microstructure and wear performance of WC–Ti clad layers on steel, produced by gas tungsten arc welding

WC–Ti weld-clad layers were investigated in order to study the interfacial bonding strength between the WC-reinforcement and the matrix. The results imply that the crystallographic orientations for strong bonding are (301)WC(332)α-Fe. The WC reinforcement particles were fully melted during cladding, so FexWyCz precipitates strengthened the clad layer. Additionally, the vein-like WC-reinforcement exhibits a complex geometry, which mechanically interlocked excellently with the matrix. Therefore, WC–Ti clad layers exhibited better wear performance than TiC–W clad layers, whose reinforcements were shaped simply like pellets.