Microstructure and wear resistance of laser cladded Ni-Cr-Co-Ti-V high-entropy alloy coating after laser remelting processing

•An attempt, combined with laser cladding and laser remelting, was used to develop HEA coating.•After laser remelting, the phase composition remains unchanged.•The micro-hardness of as-remelted HEA coatings is increased, up to ∼900HV.•The wear resistance of as-remelted HEA coatings is improved.•The results suggest practical applications, like coatings on brake pads for wear protection. An attempt, combined with the technologies of laser cladding and laser remelting, has been made to develop a Ni-Cr-Co-Ti-V high entropy alloy coating. The phase composition, microstructure, micro-hardness and wear resistance (rolling friction) were studied in detail. The results show that after laser remelting, the phase composition remains unchanged, that is, as-cladded coating and as-remelted coatings are all composed of (Ni, Co)Ti2 intermetallic compound, Ti-rich phase and BCC solid solution phase. However, after laser remelting, the volume fraction of Ti-rich phase increases significantly. Moreover, the micro-hardness is increased, up to ∼900HV at the laser remelting parameters: laser power of 1kW, laser spot diameter of 3mm, and laser speed of 10mm/s. Compared to the as-cladded high-entropy alloy coating, the as-remelted high-entropy alloy coatings have high friction coefficient and low wear mass loss, indicating that the wear resistance of as-remelted coatings is improved and suggesting practical applications, like coatings on brake pads for wear protection. The worn surface morphologies show that the worn mechanism of as-cladded and as-remelted high-entropy alloy coatings are adhesive wear.