Enhanced tribological performance of Cu matrix composites reinforced with high-V wear-resistant steel particles by laser cladding-based additive manufacturing

High-vanadium wear-resistant steel (HVWRS) particles were introduced into Cu matrix composites using laser cladding-based additive manufacturing in order to enhance the interfacial bonding strength and wear resistance of copper (Cu) matrix composites. The microstructure, phase composition, interface bonding, and microhardness were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Vickers hardness testing. Tribological behavior was evaluated under dry sliding conditions. The results show that during laser processing, the HVWRS particles underwent remelting and fragmentation into spherical or ellipsoidal droplets due to liquid immiscibility and Marangoni convection, which subsequently solidified within Cu matrix and formed metallurgically bonded interfaces. With increasing HVWRS content from 25 to 40 wt.%, the average microhardness increased from 132.6 to 177.3 HV 0.2 and the volume wear rate decreased from 1.47×10 -7 to 0.61×10 -7 mm 3 ·N -1 ·mm -1 . At low reinforcement levels, fatigue spalling dominated the wear mechanism; however, with higher HVWRS content, abrasive wear gradually became predominant. This transition is attributed to improved load-bearing capacity and enhanced resistance provided by the hard carbide phases in the steel particles. The present work demonstrates a promising strategy for fabricating high-strength, wear-resistant Cu matrix composites with strong interfacial integrity through metallurgical bonding enabled by Fe–Cu immiscible system processing.