Cr3C2 powder, 2200 HV, oxidation-resistant to 900°C. Spray-blend grade for Cr3C2-25NiCr HVOF coatings, CCO wire fill and cermet additive cuts. XRD phase certified.
QUICK ANSWER
Cr₃C₂ powder is chromium carbide — hardness ~2200 HV with outstanding oxidation and corrosion resistance to 900 °C — used in thermal spray powders (Cr₃C₂-25NiCr, the industry-standard high-temperature wear coating), hardfacing blends, and as a grain-growth inhibitor and carbide additive in cermets and specialty alloys. It is the go-to carbide wherever wear meets heat or corrosion.
Chromium carbide occupies the niche WC cannot serve: above about 500 °C WC coatings oxidize and degrade, while Cr₃C₂'s chromium content forms a protective oxide that survives to 900 °C — which is why Cr₃C₂-NiCr is the standard coating on boiler tubes, turbine components, and hot forming tools. The carbide alone is too brittle to spray; it is always blended or clad with NiCr matrix, so powder buyers are spray powder manufacturers and hardfacing formulators purchasing on carbide particle size (fine for dense coatings), carbon stoichiometry (Cr₃C₂ vs Cr₇C₃ mix), and flowability.
MATERIAL DATA
Lot-level controls focus on the chemistry, particle characteristics, and process values that influence manufacturing consistency and finished-part performance.
| Element | Content | Performance Role |
|---|---|---|
| Chromium (Cr) | ~86-87 wt% | Carbide former providing oxidation resistance |
| Combined carbon (C) | 12.8-13.3 wt% | Stoichiometric carbon for the Cr3C2 phase |
| Free carbon | < 0.3 wt% | Excess degrades coating cohesion |
| Oxygen (O) | < 0.8 wt% | Oxide affects spraying and sintering behavior |
| Iron (Fe) | < 0.5 wt% | Impurity limit for corrosion-critical coatings |
Final limits can be aligned with the agreed purchase specification.
APPLICATIONS
Thermal spray powder manufacture is the dominant market: Cr₃C₂-25NiCr applied by HVOF protects power boiler tubes against fly-ash erosion and high-temperature corrosion, coats turbine mid-spans and valve stems, and arms hot forging and extrusion dies. Spray powder producers blend or sinter-crush the carbide with NiCr and sell finished powders to coating shops — they buy carbide powder on particle size consistency and phase purity, since uncombined chromium or Cr₇C₃ excess shifts coating wear behavior. The energy sector's boiler maintenance cycles make this a steady, specification-driven demand.
Hardfacing and metallurgical additives form the second market: Cr₃C₂ additions to nickel and iron hardfacing blends boost high-temperature abrasion resistance; in cermets and carbide grades it serves as a grain-growth inhibitor; and chromium carbide additions carburize-specialize stainless powder metallurgy and diamond tool matrices. Welding consumable makers use it in chromium carbide overlay (CCO) wire and electrode formulations — the hardfacing of cement mill rolls and mining crushers.
CARBIDE & DIAMOND TOOL MATRIX POWDERS
CUSTOM SUPPLY
We supply Cr₃C₂ in spray-blend grade (1-5 µm, certified phase content), submicron grades for cermet additives, and custom cuts for CCO wire fill. NiCr-blended ready-to-spray Cr₃C₂-25NiCr (sintered-crushed or agglomerated) available on request with full spray-parameter data. Not export-controlled.
We supply Cr₃C₂ in spray-blend grade (1-5 µm, certified phase content), submicron grades for cermet additives, and custom cuts for CCO wire fill.
NiCr-blended ready-to-spray Cr₃C₂-25NiCr (sintered-crushed or agglomerated) available on request with full spray-parameter data.
MATERIAL COMPARISON
| Comparison Point | This Product | WC-Co Coating |
|---|---|---|
| Max service temperature | 900 °C | ~500 °C — oxidizes above |
| Room-temperature wear | Good | Superior — harder carbide |
| Corrosion resistance | Excellent (Cr oxide film) | Poor — Co binder corrodes |
| Coating hardness | 900-1100 HV | 1100-1400 HV |
| Export exposure | None | WC licensed since Feb 2025 |
| Best use | Hot wear: boilers, turbines, hot tools | Cold abrasion: pumps, plungers |
TECHNICAL FAQ
Need a different chemistry, particle range, or processing route? Our material team can review the requirement and supply window.
Pure chromium carbide is too brittle to form a cohesive coating — particles shatter on impact. The 25% NiCr matrix binds the carbide into a dense, adherent HVOF coating; the blend ratio and carbide particle size are the two levers on final wear performance.
1-5 µm carbide gives the best balance — fine enough for uniform distribution in the blend, coarse enough to survive spraying without decarburization. We certify the distribution per lot.
Yes — Cr₃C₂ is the hardest chromium carbide phase; excess Cr₇C₃ or Cr₂₃C₆ lowers coating hardness. Our powder is certified for phase content by XRD.
Yes — agglomerated and sintered-crushed versions matched to HVOF and plasma systems, with particle size cuts (e.g., -45+15 µm) and spray-parameter starting points.
No. Chromium and its carbides ship without licensing requirements.
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