Tribological properties of nitrogen implanted and boron implanted steels

Samples of steel with high chrome content were implanted separately with 75 keV nitrogen ions and with 75 keV boron ions. Implanted doses of each ion species were 2-,4- and 8 x 10(17)/cm(2). Retained doses were measured using resonant non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. Tribological properties were determined using a pin-on-disk test with a 6-mm diameter ruby pin with a velocity of 0.94 m/min. Testing was done at 10% humidity with a load of 377g. Wear rate and coefficient of friction were determined from these tests. While reduction in the wear rate for nitrogen implanted materials was observed, greater reduction (more than an order of magnitude) was observed for boron implanted materials. In addition, reduction in the coefficient of friction for high-dose boron implanted materials was observed. Nano-indentation revealed a hardened layer near the surface of the material. Results from grazing incidence x-ray diffraction suggest the formation of Fe2N and Fe3N in the nitrogen implanted materials and Fe3B in the boron implanted materials. Results from transmission electron microscopy will be presented.