Wear Properties of TIG Surface Alloyed Steel with 50%Fe-10%W-40%B Alloy

In the present study, AISI 1020 plain carbon steel was surface alloyed with preplaced 50%Fe-10%W-40%B alloying powders using a tungsten-inert gas (TIG) heat source. Microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance of the surface alloyed layer were investigated. Following the surface alloying, conventional characterization techniques such as optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) were used to study the phase and microstructural examinations of the alloyed surfaces. Hardness measurements were performed across the alloyed zones, and wear properties of the alloyed surfaces were evaluated using a ball-on-disc wear test method. Hardness values of the phases formed in the alloyed layer are changing between 620±30 $HV_{0.1}$ and 2095±254 $HV_{0.1}$. The major phases formed in the surface alloyed layer were Fe₂B, FeB and FeW₂B₂. Wear test were realized against Alumina ball under the loads of 2.5 N, 5 N and 10 N at the sliding speed of 0.1 m/s for 250 m sliding distance. The friction coefficient of the 50%Fe-10%W-40%B alloyed steel surface is changing between 0.70 and 0.79 depending on applied loads. The wear rates of the surface alloyed steel ranged from $4.01 \times 10^{-5}$ mm³/m to $4.14 \times 10^{-4}$ mm³/m.