PSI - Issue 81

Pavlo Prysyazhnyuk et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 81 (2026) 216–220

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The low mutual solubility of NbC and ferrite, predicted by thermodynamic modelling and indicated by XRD analysis, is qualitatively confirmed by the EDS results (Fig. 3). The elemental maps show sharply defined, Nb-rich regions with a cubic morphology, corresponding to the carbide phase, which indicates a narrow diffusion zone at the NbC-ferrite interface. This microstructural arrangement, characterized by a fine dispersion of hard particles, suggests that while the coating may not be optimized for high-stress abrasion, its composite structure is well-suited for applications requiring substantial impact wear resistance.

Fig. 3. Results of EDS analysis of the Fe-NbC system coating.

4. Conclusions This investigation successfully characterized an Fe-NbC composite coating produced by the FCAW method. The resulting microstructure, which aligns well with thermodynamic predictions, consists of a uniform distribution of fine, faceted NbC particles within a ferrite matrix. A coherent and defect-free fusion zone was formed at the coating-substrate interface, indicating a strong metallurgical bond. This structural integrity is supported by XRD and EDS analyses, which confirmed the low mutual solubility between the constituent phases. The composite structure, which combines a hard reinforcing phase with a ductile matrix, creates a material well-suited for applications demanding high impact toughness, though the fine carbide dispersion may offer limited resistance to severe abrasion. Acknowledgements The authors express their sincere gratitude and respect to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who made it possible to complete the preparation of this article for publication. The authors also express their gratitude to the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine for grants for the implementation of project 0123U101858. References Berns, H., 2003. Comparison of wear resistant MMC and white cast iron. Wear 254, 47–54. Fan, Z., Ren, W., Zuo, W., Wang, Y., 2025. Comparative study on the reinforcement effects of WC and TiC in the laser cladding layer of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Journal of Manufacturing Processes 134, 589–602. Hutsaylyuk, V., Student, M., Zadorozhna, Kh., Student, O., Veselivska, H., Gvosdetskii, V., Maruschak, P., Pokhmurska, H., 2020. Improvement of wear resistance of aluminum alloy by HVOF method. Journal of Materials Research and Technology 9(6), 16367-16377, Li, H., Song, Q., Xu, Q., Chen, Y., Xu, L., Man, T., 2017. Electrochemical Synthesis of Core–Shell-Structured NbC–Fe Composite Powder for Enforcement in Low-Carbon Steel. Materials 10, 1257.