Microstructure and Wear Resistance of WC/316L Stainless Steel Composite Coating Fabricated by Laser Cladding

The poor surface hardness and wear resistance of 316L stainless steel were addressed by fabricating WC/316L composite coatings with 1wt.% and 3wt.%WC on 316L substrates via laser cladding. The powders were mixed and deposited onto the substrate, and the resulting coatings were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and microhardness testing. It was observed that the introduction of WC particles resulted in significant grain refinement, reducing the average grain size from 42.21 μm in 316L to 4.63 μm in 3wt.%WC/316L, while the surface microhardness increased from 185 HV to 230 HV. Friction and wear tests revealed that the average friction coefficient decreased from 0.53 to 0.43 and the wear volume from 0.43 mm³ to 0.18 mm³, with abrasive wear as the predominant mechanism accompanied by minor adhesive wear. These findings demonstrate that the microstructural stability, hardness, and wear resistance of laser-cladded 316L coatings can be effectively enhanced through the incorporation of WC particles, providing a foundation for the design of high-performance WC/316L composite coatings.