Structure and Properties of Electro-Explosive TiC–Ni–Mo Coatings of Die Steel after Electron-Beam Treatment

In this paper, we studied the phase and elemental composition of the surface layer of die steel 5KhNM subjected to electro-explosive sputtering deposited composite TiC–Ni–Mo coating and subsequent pulsed irradiation with a high-intensity submillisecond electron beam. The modes of electron-beam processing providing the formation of a dense, with a mirror gloss, surface layer with a submicrocrystalline structure based on titanium carbide and intermetallic compounds based on Mo, Ni, and Ti are determined. The electron-beam processing of an electro-explosive coating in the melting mode is shown to lead to the formation of a structurally uniform and concentration-uniform surface layer. TiC–Ni–Mo coatings have a 1.26 times higher wear resistance compared to die steel 5KhNM used as a substrate. The microhardness of the formed coatings is 450–2400 HV, the nanohardness is 25.5 GPa, and the modulus of elasticity is E = 398 GPa.