The Structure of Boride Diffusion Coatings Produced on Selected Grades of Structural Steels

In the article the microstructure and phase composition of boride coatings deposited on selected structural steels were investigated. The boride coatings were produced using pack cementation method using commercial EKABOR-2 mixture containing of 50 wt. % of new and 50 wt. % of used powder. Boride coatings were deposited on alloyed structural steels grades (PN/EN 10084 standard): 16MnCr5, 18CrNiMo7-6, 41CrAlMo7 42CrMo4. Cylindrical samples with a diameter of 30 mm and a height of 30 mm were boronized in powder at 1000°C for 2, 4 and 6 hours in an argon atmosphere. The process was carried out in an industrial CVD Bernex BPX 325S device. The microstructure was analyzed using scanning electron microscope Phenom XL equipped with EDS spectrometer. The XRD phase analysis was conducted using XTRa diffractometer (ARL). The thickness as well as phase composition was analyzed on coatings formed on each grades of steels. The most of obtained boride coatings were characterized by single-phase structure (Fe₂B). The formation of brittle FeB phase was detected only on 16MnCr5 steel grades steels.