Performance of self-shielded flux-cored wire hardfacing layer with high hardness and abrasion resistance reinforced with TiB₂

New types of self-shielded flux-cored wire for hardfacing with high hardness and abrasion resistance reinforced by TiB₂ were produced by adding different amounts of TiB₂ into the Fe-Cr-C flux-cored wire. The effects of TiB₂ content in fluxcored wire on the microstructure and mechanical properties of resultant hardfacing layers were investigated by means of optical microscope(OM),scanning electron microanalysis(SEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results show that the microstructure of hardfacing layer consisted of primary carbides,martensite and retained austenite,and TiC-TiB₂ particles,which dispersed in the primary carbides and matrix,were synthesized via metallurgy reaction during arc welding. The hardfacing alloys reinforced with TiB₂ had higher hardness and better wear resistance than that without TiB₂.