A Novel Duplex Low-temperature Chromizing Process at 500℃

An optimized low-temperature chromizing process at 500℃ was realized on a plain medium-carbon steel with 0.45 wt pct carbon via a duplex chromizing process which consists of a precursor plasma nitriding, and a followed salt bath thermoreactive deposition and diffusion （TRD） chromizing process. CrN layer with a thin diffusion layer underneath was formed. The duplex chromizing process was studied by optical microscopy （OM）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. It was found that the chromizing speed at 500℃ was successfully enhanced by adding more Cr-Fe powders into the salt bath, and the CrN layer formed at the cost of the prior nitride compound layer. A CrN layer with average 8.1/~m in thickness and 1382 HV0.01 in microhardness was formed on the substrate by duplex chromizing at 500℃ for 24 h. Further more, the CrN layer consisted of nanocrystalline CrN grains.

Application of Artificial Neural Network in Predicting the Thickness of Chromizing Coatings on P110 Steel

A series of rare earth （RE） dispersed chromizing coatings were produced on P 110 steel by pack cementation. The orthogonal array design （OAD）was applied to set the experiments. An artificial neural network （ANN） approach is employed to predict the thickness values of the obtained chromizing coatings based on the OAD tests results. The results revealed that the built model was reliable, the thickness values of chromizing coatings were well predicted at selected process parameters, and the predicted error lied in rational range.

Segregation of Molten Salt on Chromizing in Thermal Diffusion Process

The segregation of thermal diffusion salt bath chromizing process was analyzed. The experimental chromizing ingredients were prepared by the four groups A, B, C, and D. In order to study the segregation status of this case, the cooling molten salt in the crucible was removed by drilling from the heart core of molten salt. The core of molten salt was analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and XRD. Through the analysis, we can conclude that the Cr element deposited in the bottom was 4.51 times than the top. Chloride added to the molten salt will reduce segregation. Meantime we proposed some measures to overcome the segregation problem.

Chromizing treatment of the surface-nanocrystallized AISI H13 steel and the improved wear resistance

A hot-working AISI H13 tool steel was subjected to a combined process consisting of surface nanocrystallization(SNC)and chromizing treatment successively.The composition,microstructure,hardness and wear resistance of the chromized layer were characterized by using the scanning and transmission electron microscopy,a nano-indenter and a tribo-meter.It was shown that a continuous chromized layer of approximately 30 μm in thickness was formed on the SNC specimen after a dual chromizing treatment at both 600℃ and 1050℃ consecutively,as thick as about 3 times of that on the coarse-grained specimen after the same chromizing treatment.In addition,the wear resistance of the SNC-chromized specimen was enhanced significantly,due to a smaller grain size and a higher hardness,as well as smoother gradient variations of the microstructure,composition and hardness across a greater depth in the formed chromized surface layer.

Thermodynamic analysis of carbon migration in W1-1.0C steel in plasma surface chromizing

W 1-1.0C steel was chromized at 1173 K with double glow plasma surface alloying process, and the distribution of Fe, Cr, and C contents in the chromized layer was measured using glow discharge spectrum analysis （GDA）. The behavior and mechanism of carbon migration during the formation of chromized layer were studied through thermodynamic analysis and calculation. The gradient of carbon chemical potential was regarded as the driving force of carbon migration. An equation was derived to describe the carbon content varying with the chromium content within the carbon-rich region. The calculated results from the equation approximated closely to the experimental ones.

Influence of adding various rare earths on microstructures and corrosion resistance of chromizing coatings prepared via pack cementation on P110 steel

In order to improve the corrosion resistance and increase the service lifetime of P110 steel during operation,four chromizing coatings were formed onto its surface with/without addition of rare earths via pack cementation process.The surface morphologies and microstructures of the chromizing coatings were observed using scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and the phase constitutions were investigated by X-ray diffraction(XRD).Electrochemical corrosion behavior of the chromizing coatings in simulated oilfield ...

Microstructure and Properties of Low Temperature Composite Chromized Layer on H13 Tool Steel

Low temperature composite chromizing is a process composed of a plain ion-carbonitriding or ion-nitriding at 550-580℃, followed by a low-temperature chromizing in a salt-bath of 590℃. The microstructure and properties of the low temperature composite chromized layer on H13 tool steel were investigated using metallography, X-ray diffraction, microanalysis, hardness and wear tests. It was found that this low temperature process was thermo-dynamically and kinetically possible, and the composite chromized layer on H13 steel, with a thickness of 3-6 μm, consisted of three sub-layers (bands), viz. the outer Cr-rich one, the intermediate (black) one, and the inner, original white layer. After chromizing, the former diffusion layer was thickened. The results of X-ray diffraction showed that the composite chromized layer contained such nitrides and carbides of chromium as CrN, Cr2N, (Cr, Fe)23C6, and (Cr, Fe)7C3, as well as plain α-(Fe, Cr). A high surface microhardness of 1450-1550 HV0.025, which is much higher than that obtained by the conventional ion carbonitriding and ion nitriding, was obtained. In addition, an excellent wear resistance was gained on the composite chromized layer.

Effect of surface Cr/C infiltration on microstructure,mechanical properties and wear resistance of high chromium cast iron

A new type of high chromium cast iron(HCCI)was prepared,and its microstructure,mechanical properties,and abrasion resistance were investigated systematically.Results showed that after surface carburizing and chromizing,the microstructure of HCCI mainly consists of martensite,boride(M_(2)B),and carbide(M_(7)C_(3)),accompanied with a large amount of secondary precipitations M_(23)C_(6).Moreover,the morphology and hardness of the carbide and boride in HCCI change little,while the volume fraction of carbide and boride increases from 16.23%to 23.16%.This effectively increases the surface hardness of HCCI from 64.53±0.50 HRC to 66.58±0.50 HRC,with the result that the surface of HCCI possesses a better abrasion resistance compared to the center position.Furthermore,the wear mechanism of HCCI changes from micro-plowing to micro-cutting with the increase of surface hardness.

Chro-austempering treatment of a medium-carbon high-strength bainitic steel

The integrated processing of chromizing and austempering(termed chro-austempering)treatments was proposed.The microstructure and properties of a medium-carbon high-strength bainitic steel treated by chro-austempering treatments were investigated by metallography,scanning vibrating electrode technique,electrochemical workstation,and microhardness test.The results show that the high-strength bainitic steel with carbide-free bainite as matrix and the chromized layers on surfaces was successfully fabricated by chro-austempering treatment.The hardness of surface layers was about 3.5 times that of the bainite matrix.Meanwhile,the corrosion started from exposed bainitic matrix and proceeded along the depth direction,testifying that the surface corrosion resistance was significantly improved by chro-austempering treatment due to the formation of Cr_(7)C_(3)and(Cr,Fe)7_(7)C_(3)on the surface.

A Comparison Study of Wear and Fretting Fatigue Behavior Between Cr-alloyed Layer and Cr-Ti Solid-solution Layer

This work reported a comparison between the wear and fretting fatigue（FF） behaviors of a Cr-alloyed layer and a Cr-Ti solid-solution layer.The hardness and toughness of both layers were evaluated to support this comparison.The results showed that the Cr-alloyed layer had high surface hardness but poor toughness,while the Cr-Ti solid-solution layer had excellent toughness but low hardness.The FF properties of the modified Ti6A14 V alloy depended on the trade-off between two factors：wear resistance and fatigue resistance.Although the Cr-alloyed layer could effectively resist the wear in fretting areas,its poor toughness caused the fatigue resistance to drop sharply and hence led to a premature failure in FF test.Due to the relatively good fatigue resistance,the Cr-Ti solid-solution layer had slightly higher FF life than that of the Cr-alloyed layer;however,its low hardness resulted in severe wear in correspondence with the fretting area and thus a failure to improve the FF properties of Ti6A14 V alloy.When combined with shot peening post-treatment,the FF life of both layers increased by about three times compared to that of the Ti6A14 V alloy.A further study showed that the poor toughness or low hardness still exerted negative influence on combination-treated samples.

Microstructure and formation mechanism of twins of laths of austenite with high nitrogen

The microstructure of composite diffusion layer of the nitrided and chromized 0.2% carbon steel is investigated using TEM and EDS. It is found that laths of austenite with high nitrogen (γ N) precipitate from α-ferrite matrix in the deeper zone of the diffusion layer. These γ N laths are all twins, with their {111} twinning planes parallel to the lath axis, thus forming a characteristic "back-to-back" morphology. There are two types of γN lath. The first is a genuinely {111} twin, and γ N and α keep the accurate K-S relationship, and each γ N and α form a sharp and smooth γ N/α inter- face of {335}γN//{341}α, namely habit plane {335}fcc. The second is a pseudo-twin, with micro-twins {111} or faults formed within the two twin components. Localized lattice deformation (relaxation) seems to have occurred at the interfaces of the second type of γ N due to the formation of micro-twins or faults within the twin components. These micro-twins or faults make the orientation relationship (OR) between each of the γN and the α-matrix deviate from the accurate K-S OR, and the OR between two γ N twin components deviate from the genuine {111} twin relation- ship. In addition, the γ N/α interface of the second type of γ N is not as sharp or smooth as that of the first one.