Erosion and abrasion wear resistance of Laser Cladding AISI 431 Stainless Steel

Laser Cladding of AISI 431 Stainless Steel is often indicated to restore the structural integrity of large industrial steel components, especially when thick coating buildup is required. Typically, this martensitic stainless steel alloy grade is used in applications where mild abrasion and particle erosion are prevalent, such as drill string components. The advantages of processing AISI 431 stainless steel by Laser Cladding relies on the fast and interactive thermal reactions of the technique that augment the strengthen microstructural mechanisms present in this material. In the present work, the erosion and abrasion responses of multilayer AISI 431 stainless steel coating obtained by Laser Cladding were assessed in accordance with standard tests. The erosive performance of the cladding material was tested by air jet impingement using aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) particles, following the ASTM G76 standard. The abrasion performance was assessed according to the ASTM G65 standard utilizing a dry sand/rubber wheel test rig. The results were correlated to investigations of the microstructure and worn surface morphology of the material. This work discusses the Laser Cladding hardening effects on erosive and abrasive wear behavior of AISI 431 martensitic stainless steel.