Effect of boronizing temperature on structure and properties of boronizing layer of high vanadium wear-resistant steel

    
    Wear-resistant steel is a type of steel developed to resist wear and tear, making it ideal for parts used in industries that experience a lot of abrasion or friction. One type of wear-resistant steel is High Vanadium (HV) steel, which has a higher resistance to wear and tear than other steels. In order to further enhance its wear-resistant properties, HV steel can be boronized – a process in which the surface of the steel is modified through a diffusion of boron atoms. In this article, the effect of boronizing temperature on the structure and properties of boronizing layer of HV steel will be discussed.
    
    The boronizing process involves heating the HV steel surface to temperatures ranging from 1100°C to 1300°C and allowing boron-containing atoms from a boronizing agent to diffuse into the metal surface. At these temperatures, boron atoms form a boron nitride (BN) layer at the steel surface with a thickness up to 0.5 mm. As the boronizing process continues, the BN layer begins to form interstitial and boride compounds on the surface of the metal, mainly FeB and Fe2B. These compounds, in turn, increase the hardness and wear resistance of the steel.
    
    The boronizing temperature of the HV steel has a profound effect on the microstructure and properties of the boronizing layer. At temperatures lower than 1100°C, the boronizing process is inefficient, resulting in the formation of a thin, porous BN coating with a relatively low wear resistance. At temperatures above 1300°C, the boronizing process becomes too aggressive, resulting in the boride compounds becoming too grainy, leading to a lack of cohesion between the carbide layer and the substrate that further reduce wear resistance.
    
    The ideal temperature range for efficient boronizing of HV steel lies between 1100°C and 1300°C. At these temperatures, the boronizing layer is thick, homogenous, crack-free and composed of the fine-grained FeB and Fe2B boride compounds. The boride compounds produced at this temperature range are harder than conventional chrome plated steel and can better withstand severe wear and corrosion environments. Additionally, the boronizing layer provides a wear-resistant surface that greatly increases the life of the wear-resistant steel component.
    
    In conclusion, boronizing at the optimum temperature of 1100 to 1300°C increases the wear resistance of HV steel by a significant amount. The resulting boronizing layer is highly homogenous and composed of fine-grain boride compounds that can better withstand wear and corrosion. As such, boronizing is an effective method for increasing the service life of HV steel components and further optimizing their wear-resistant qualities.

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