Abstract
This study introduces a solid-state aluminizing technique through a vibratory milling process, employing a distinct combination of milling balls to fabricate Al composite coatings with high adhesion on steel substrates. The process is carried out at ambient temperature, without the need for special atmospheric conditions. The process utilizes the synergistic effects of plastic flow , atomic mixing, and interatomic interactions to produce coatings with outstanding mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance , challenging to achieve through conventional methods. The as-fabricated composite coating consists of W, Ni, and steel particles, constituting 7–10 % of the composition, dispersed within an Al matrix with an average grain size of approximately 50 nm. The Al coatings demonstrated a hardness threefold greater than untreated steel and fivefold higher than the initial Al balls used for deposition, alongside an exceptional 20 % elastic recovery. Moreover, the aluminized steel exhibited a corrosion rate more than five times lower than untreated steel, underscoring the coatings' dual enhancement of mechanical strength and corrosion resistance.