Multifunctional laser-clad Cu–Ni–Sn–Nb alloy coating with integrated wear and corrosion resistance
摘要
Laser-clad Cu–15Ni–8Sn–0.2Nb alloy coatings were developed as high-performance protective layers for marine applications, targeting the critical challenge of synergistic wear and corrosion degradation. Direct aging was employed to tailor the microstructure of coatings to integrate exceptional tribological and corrosion resistance. Microstructural analysis revealed that controlled short-term aging induced grain refinement, forming equiaxed grains that significantly enhanced deformation resistance while maintaining a stable friction coefficient of 0.54. However, prolonged aging triggered the precipitation of Sn-rich phases at intra- and inter-granular sites, causing a simultaneous decline in mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. These microstructural changes intensified microgalvanic coupling effects, elevating the corrosion current density to 2.347 μA/cm2, and reduced tribocorrosion resistance, as evidenced by a peak specific wear rate of 5.53 × 10−5 mm3/N · m. Further mechanistic analysis demonstrated that tribocorrosion behavior is synergistically governed by the intrinsic grain structure, precipitated phases, and the external mechanical–chemical interface environment. This work elucidates the mechanistic interaction between tribological wear and corrosive degradation, providing a theoretical and practical guidance for designing advanced multifunctional protective coatings for marine applications.