In this study, Al₂O₃-TiB₂ coating was successfully deposited on steel substrates by in situ plasma spraying (IPS) using H₃BO₃, Al, and TiO₂ reactants. Beside TiB₂ and Al₂O₃, Al₁₈B₄O₃₃ was formed as a by-product with ratio of about 13 wt%. The effect of milling time of reactant and the reaction behavior was also explored. Milling process for at least 10 h can promote efficiency of reaction and milling for efficient production of Al₂O₃-TiB₂ composite. Wear behavior was examined in terms of hardness, wear track width, and wear rate of the coatings with respective measured values of 797.6 HV, 1061.3 µm, and 4.2 × 10⁻³ mm³/N.m. Based on the FESEM observations, the thickness of abrasive coating was 417 µm, delamination and adhesion were the main wear mechanisms in Al₂O₃-TiB₂-coated specimens.

This paper aims to study the effect of adding different SiC content on the wear performance of Al₂O₃-TiB₂-SiC ternary composite coatings produced by the air plasma spraying process. The study used SHS powders as primary materials, consisting of H₃BO₃, Al, and TiO₂, and 5, 10, and 15 Vol.% SiC. The microstructure and wear specifications of the coatings were characterised using FESEM, microhardness, and pin-on-disk methods. The results showed that the addition of SiC led to higher hardness and lower wear track width and rate compared to Al₂O₃-TiB₂ composite coatings. The best wear behaviour was observed in Al₂O₃-TiB₂-10%SiC and 15 wt% SiC composite coatings. The main wear mechanisms were found to be brittle fracture, delamination and adhesive for all samples.