Wear resistance of heat-resistant steels HSM-7 and HSM-10 after ion-plasma nitriding, low-pressure carburizing and low-pressure carbonitriding

Tribotechnical characteristics of martensitic grade steels HSM-7 (16Cr2Ni3MoVNbNAl) and HSM-10 (13Cr3Ni3Mo2VNbNAl) were analyzed. Steels underwent ion plasma nitriding, low-pressure carburizing and low-pressure carbonitriding. The concept of a two-stage hardening technology has been implemented: the creation of a thermally stable finely dispersed state of steel at the first stage and the use of such a state for accelerated and qualitative saturation of the surface layer with nitrogen or carbon at the second stage. To create an ultra-finely divided state in the samples of steels under investigation, the method of intensive plastic deformation (IPD) was used. The method is based on the grinding of the microstructure due to large shear deformations. IPD was performed by the method of warm precipitation in a die with a degree of deformation of 80 % at a temperature of 700 ℃. The wear resistance tests of the samples were carried out on a special stand with reciprocating motion in the medium of a plastic lubricant material of mating samples having flat friction surfaces at a pressure of 10 MPa and an average velocity of 0,19 m/s. It is shown that HSM-7 and HSM-10 steels after ion-plasma nitriding and vacuum cementation have high wear resistance (wear intensity I  10-10). After low-pressure carbonitriding, the values of the wear intensity of the friction pair samples are almost the same and amount to 0,3·10-10, which is ~3,0 times less than after low-pressure carburizing. As a result of ion-plasma nitriding and low-pressure carbonitriding, a nanostructured surface layer is formed on steel surfaces contributing to wear resistance increase. The ideas concerning nitrided steel score resistance increase are given.