Boride Layers on Sverker 3 Steel: Kinetic Modeling, Experimental Characterization, and Validation

• Published in: Protection of metals and physical chemistry of surfaces 2023-12, Vol.59 (6), p.1250-1259
• Main Authors: Benyakoub, Katia, Keddam, Mourad, Ptačinová, Jana, Gabalcová, Zuzana, Boumaali, Brahim, Jurči, Peter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boriding; Boron; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Corrosion and Coatings; Diffusion layers; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Inorganic Chemistry; Mass balance; Materials and Coatings; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Modelling; New Substances; Thickness; Tool steels; Tribology
• ISSN: 2070-2051; 2070-206X
• DOI: 10.1134/S2070205123701113

The kinetic modeling, based on solving the mass balance equations at the two diffusion fronts, was considered to investigate boron diffusion and the formation of dual boride layers (FeB + Fe 2 B) on Sverker 3 steel. Experimentally, the morphology of the boride layers was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), allowing measurement of the layers' thicknesses. Phase analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the nature of the phases. To analyze the layers’ growth kinetics over the treatment time at a given temperature, two unitless parameters were sought. The boron diffusion coefficients in both phases were evaluated in the range of 900 to 1000°C, and the values of boron activation energies in FeB and Fe 2 B were deduced. This model was experimentally verified by considering three boriding conditions: 975°C for 10 h, and 1050°C for 5 and 7 h.