Study of Change in Wear Resistance of Stainless Steel Surface Obtained by Laser Pulse Alloying in the Coating Layer

Abstract

The paper describes an experimental study of laser pulsed modification of the surface of stainless chromium-nickel steel of the austenitic class 12Cr18Ni10T with a graphite coating previously applied to it. The microhardness of the treated surface and its dependence on the modes of laser radiation were determined. The abrasion method was used to study the change in the wear resistance of the modified layer and the possibility of its increase. For a quantitative assessment of the surface resistance to wear, a gravimetric analysis of samples subjected to ball abrasion was carried out, the results of which are fully consistent with the calculation of the dimensionless wear resistance index. It was found that the value of the microhardness is largely influenced by the voltage of the pulses. Thus, the highest microhardness indicators were observed during processing by laser pulses in the voltage ranges of 250-280 V and 340-440 V and take values of 5-6 GPa and 4-5 GPa, respectively. A comprehensive study of abrasion resistance, including the calculation of a dimensionless wear resistance index and an analysis of the weight loss of steel samples as a result of the test, showed that, to the greatest extent, the surface hardening effect is characteristic of samples subjected to treatment with laser pulses focused into a spot 1 mm in diameter at a pulse voltage of range 300-400 V.