High speed steel structure studing after various high intensity ion-plasma treatments

Abstract

The influence of compressive plasma flow (CPF) treatment on structure of AlSI М2 steel was investigated and was compared with the influences of other known high intensive techniques such as high current ion implantation (HCII) and plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) of nitrogen. The structure of steel forming during HCII is more stable and is a superposition of martensite, hardening carbides, carbonitrides and small quantity of austenite. The structure of thick (about 30 µm) surface layer of steel undergoes great changes after CPF - decay of main hardening M6C carbide and formation of expanded austenite doped by nitrogen and alloying elements of steel. Pill forms similar thinner modified layer.