Increasing Wear Resistance of Low-Carbon Steel by Anodic Plasma-Electrolytic Nitroboriding

The article describes the research for improvement of properties of low-carbon steel 20 by anodic nitroboriding in the electrolyte containing boric acid in the quantity necessary for ensuring sufficient boron potential in the saturating medium—vapor-gaseous envelope. Current–voltage and temperature–voltage characteristics of plasma-electrolytic treatment in the suggested electrolyte; the influence of oxidation and anodic dissolution processes on weight balance, structure and phase composition of the modified layer, its microhardness, roughness and wear resistance were considered. There was a significant (up to 1180 HV) increase in microhardness and a fivefold decrease in wear and corrosion. The data of tests showed that the operational resource increases more than 45 times for threaded fastening pair subjected to nitroboriding.