ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND CAVITATION EROSION BEHAVIOR OF MICROWAVE-SYNTHESIZED Ni-Al2O3-BASED COMPOSITE CLADDINGS

Abstract

In this study, Ni-Al2O3-based composite clads on SS-316 substrates using a microwave irradiation method have been developed. Microwave-processed clads were characterized using various nondestructive techniques to investigate microstructure, phase analysis, porosity assessment and measurement of microhardness. The findings of the microstructural analysis demonstrated the formation of solid, metallurgically bonded and defect-free clads with a thickness of approximately 970[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. X-ray diffraction (XRD) phase analysis study confirmed the existence of hard and intermetallic phases in the clad region. Composite clad region exhibited a low porosity value of [Formula: see text]1.3%. The average microhardness of the clad region was 3.63 times that of the substrate region. Further, cavitation erosion (CE) behavior of the developed clads was investigated using vibration CE test rig under various stand-off distances and immersion depths. CE results showed that the composite clads exhibited 6.9 times better erosion resistance than SS-316 substrate. CE resistance increased with an increase in stand-off distance and the depth of immersion.