Surface treatment of Al7075 Matrix by TiC particles via hybrid ball milling and tungsten inert gas cladding

Abstract

Surface composite coatings of Al7075 containing titanium carbide (TiC) particles were fabricated using a hybrid ball milling and gas tungsten inert (TIG) cladding process. Initially, TiC particles were deposited on the surface of Al7075 substrate within ball milling process. The surface melting of Al7075 was then performed by TIG welding at two different current intensities of 80 A and 100 A. From microstructural point of view, a dense, uniform and metallurgically well-bonded Al7075-TiC coating was successfully obtained on the surface of Al7075 substrate which confirmed by SEM, XRD and EDX as well as micro-hardness results. However, composite coating TIG cladded at lower welding current of 80 A provided better properties compared to composite coating cladded at 100 A. The micro-hardness and wear properties of Al7075-TiC coating were found to be significantly improved as compared to Al7075 substrate due to the well dispersed and dense TiC particles.