Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/231782

Title

Plasma immersion ion implantation of 100Cr6 ball bearing steel

Author(s)

Blawert, C.;  Mordike, B. L.;  Collins, G. A.;  Hutchings, R.;  Short, K. T.;  Tendys, J.

Abstract

Most low alloy steels are tempered at relatively low temperatures, limiting the opportunities for improving their wear resistance and surface hardness by traditional heat treatment processes. In this work, we use plasma immersion ion implantation (PI3) to apply a hybrid ion implantation/thermochemical diffusion treatment to ball bearing steel 100Cr6 (1% C, 1.5% Cr). By a judicious choice of implantation voltage, temperature and time, it is possible to combine the PI3 treatment with the tempering stage of heat treatment, without compromising the hardness of the alloy. Up to 200 °C, the bulk hardness (750 HV tempered) of the material is maintained, and nitrogen implantation increases the surface hardness due to the precipitation of fine Fe2N. At 300 °C, where enhanced nitrogen and carbon diffusion can occur, the bulk hardness decreases, although in many applications this can be compensated by the increase in surface hardness to around 900 HV0.1 due to Fe3N and Fe4N formation. Wear and corrosion tests reveal significant improvements in comparison with untreated steel.

Publication type

Journal article

Source

Surface and Coatings Technology: incorporating the proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Surface Modification of Metals by Ion Beams, San Sebastian, Spain, 04-08 September 1995 / J. I. Onate, B. D. Sartwell and L.Guzman (ed.), Vol. 83, no. 1-3 (Sep 1996), pp. 228-234

Publication year

1996

FOR Code(s)

0204 Condensed Matter Physics;  0306 Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural);  0912 Materials Engineering

Keyword(s)

Ball bearing steel;  Ball bearings;  Chromium alloys;  Composition effects;  Diffusion in solids;  Hardness;  Hybrid ion implantation;  Ion implantation;  Plasma applications;  Plasma immersion ion implantation;  Precipitation chemical;  Steels;  Surface modification;  Surface treatment;  Tempering;  Thermochemical diffusion treatment;  Thermal effects;  Wear;  Wear of materials

Publisher

Elsevier

ISSN

0257-8972

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0257-8972(95)02794-7

Copyright

Copyright © 1996 Published by Elsevier BV.

Peer reviewed