Comparison investigations of wear and corrosion resistance of impregnated nitride layers on carbon and alloyed steels

Abstract

Nitriding is the family of surface heat treatment processes due to unique combination of properties it con-firms, and also because profusion of the properties it has attracted for practical applications. Improvement of anti-corrosion and antiwear properties of nitrided layers of steel parts, produced from structural steels without serious addi-tion costs, are willingly expected by the cars and aircrafts manufacturers. Such opportunity appeared when thin nitri-ded layers on surface steel parts are impregnated with multifunctional tribo-corrosion inhibitive formulations. The impregnating formulation consisting of the package of tribo-inhibitive organic compounds as well as thickness of porous (if impregnated) and compact nitride zones could significantly increase the corrosion resistance effect when exposed in salt fog chamber and also improve linear wear in friction test conditions. The results of the corrosion and wear resistance tests of carbon steels 10, 45, 40H and low alloyed 38HMJ steel nitrided (17±2 μm thick) in controlled gas - nitriding process and additionally impregnated with oil -, solvent and water – base (dispersion) of tribo-corrosion formulation, are presented in this paper.