Diffusion kinetics of borided AISI 52100 and AISI 440C steels

摘要

In this study, the case properties and diffusion kinetics of AISI 440C and AISI 52100 steels borided in Ekabor-II powder were investigated by conducting a series of experiments at temperatures of 1123, 1173 and 1223 K for 2, 4 and 8 h.The boride layer was characterized by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction technique and micro-Vickers hardness tester. X-ray diffraction analysis of boride layers on the surface of the steels revealed the existence of FeB, Fe _2B and CrB compounds. The thickness of boride layer increases by increasing boriding time and temperature for all steels. The hardness of the boride compounds formed on the surface of steels AISI 52100 and AISI 440C ranged from 1530 to 2170 HV _(0.05) and 1620 to 1989 HV _(0.05), respectively whereas Vickers hardness values of untreated steels AISI 440C and AISI 52100 were 400 HV _(0.05) and 311 HV _(0.05), respectively. The activation energies (Q) of borided steels were 340.426 kJ/mol for AISI 440C and 269.638 kJ/mol for AISI 52100. The growth kinetics of the boride layers forming on the AISI 440C and AISI 52100 steels and thickness of boride layers were also investigated.