Dilution rate is one of most important factors influencing the microstructure and performance of the laser cladding layer. In order to obtain a reasonable dilution rate in the laser cladding layer of Inconel 625 alloy, the laser cladding layers with different Fe content were prepared on the surface of 20# steel by the laser cladding technique. The influence of Fe content on the microstructure and performance of Inconel 625 alloy cladding layer was investigated. The results indicate that with the increase in Fe content in the alloy, the grain size of the cladding layer becomes coarser, the grain orientation difference increases first and then decreases, and the grain boundary angle decreases first and then increases. The hardness, high temperature wear resistance, and high temperature corrosion resistance gradually decreased. It is concluded that the dilution rate of Fe in laser cladding Inconel 625 alloy should be under 5 wt.%.

Graphite/6061 aluminum (G/6061Al) composites with different content of graphite were ultra-high pressure (UHP)-sintered and hot pressing (HP)-sintered, respectively. The result shows that homogeneous dispersion of graphite flakes in the 6061Al matrix can be achieved using graphite flakes coated by nano-Al particles, both in the UHP-sintered and in the HP-sintered composite. Due to the comprehensive effects of ultra-high pressure, high temperature and formation of Al₄C₃, the UHP-sintered composites endowed with higher relative density, higher hardness, stronger tensile strength and better wear resistance than the HP-sintered composite. The highest tensile strength of the UHP-sintered with 5 vol.% graphite is 183 MPa. Wear test reveals that the wear rate of the UHP sintered with 10 vol.% G/6061Al decreases drastically when the sintering temperature is 650 °C or higher, which is one to three orders of magnitude lower than that of the HP-sintered. The lowest wear rate of the UHP sintered with 10 vol.% graphite is 0.15 × 10⁻⁵ g/mm, while that of the HP-sintered composite is 133 × 10⁻⁵ g/mm.