Nanoparticle Dispersion Strengthened WC-C Based Coatings on Ti-alloy Produced by Sequential Chemical Reaction Assisted Pulsed Electrospark Deposition

In this work, we explored the effects of the electrode material constituents and structure on the composition, tribological properties, and roughness of electrospark deposited coatings. Nanostructured (WC grain size below 0.1 µm) and microstructured (WC grain size 1–2 µm) electrodes based on 92% WC–8% Co composition were used to produce coatings on titanium alloy substrates. Fine‐pored graphite (FPG) and carbon–carbon fiber composite (CCFC) electrodes were additionally used for surface smoothing as a finishing operation. The use of the nanostructured electrodes resulted in the formation of fine‐grained, hard, and wear‐resistant coatings. Surface finishing treatment with graphite‐containing electrodes was found to decrease friction coefficients and improve the wear resistance of coatings deposited with both nano‐ and microstructured electrodes. This finishing operation provided lower surface roughness, change in the phase composition of the coatings, and formation of surface graphite for solid lubrication.