This study aims to develop a WC-Co cermet coating on steel using cost-effective TIG-arc cladding, with the goal of enhancing steel's suitability for demanding wear environments in industries such as agriculture, mining, chemical processing, and oil refineries. The WC-Co coating is successfully deposited using the TIG heat source and the TIG processing conditions like current, scan speed affects the coating morphology. Microstructural analysis of WC-Co coated samples reveals the formation of equiaxed, columnar, cellular structure and also net-like structures at different current and arc scan speeds. X-ray diffraction study of developed surfaces confirms the existence of hard and brittle phases like WC, W2C, Co3W3C, Fe3W3C, Co3Fe7, Co3C, and Fe7W6. Microhardness of the developed surfaces varies from 800–1420 HV0.1. The coated samples exhibit a wear loss (mg) of only 2.35% to 7.40% compared to the as-received steel substrate's wear loss (mg). The coating layer shows a remarkable improvement of corrosion behavior in 3.5% NaCl electrolyte. Maximum hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion potential of WC-Co coated layer is detected at lower input heat supply, i.e., 70 A current and 4 mm/s arc scan speed, because of partially or unmelted WC in the coating zone.
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