Enhancement of hardness and wear resistance of M2 high-speed steel via circular oscillating laser deposition
摘要
M2 high-speed steel (M2 HSS) has a martensitic matrix and high-density carbide microstructure, excellent strength and toughness, and has great potential applications in chemical, marine and military industries. However, the M2 HSS prepared by conventional Gaussian laser (GL) is prone to cracks, porosity and other defects. In this study, GL directional energy deposition of M2 HSS material was compared with specimens produced by a purpose-built circular oscillating laser (COL) directed energy deposition system. The results show that compared with GL, the COL makes the temperature distribution of the molten pool more uniform through circular scanning, reduces the local overheating phenomenon, and makes the deposited layer more flat and smooth; The induced stirring intensified Marangoni convection, promoted the formation of numerous fine, uniformly distributed carbides at grain boundaries, refined the grain structure and, consequently, increased average microhardness and improved wear resistance. Relative to GL, COL directional energy deposition of M2 HSS material exhibited a grain-size reduction of approximately 33.7%, an average microhardness increase of about 11.25% and a wear-rate reduction of roughly 58.34%. This provides a new method to solve the wear problem of M2 HSS under the severe working environment of high friction and high load.