ELECTRON WORK FUNCTION AND PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SURFACES LAYERS OF ION-DOPED HARD ALLOY BК6

The correlation between structural-phase transformations and physical-chemical properties of surface layers of hard alloy after ion-beam nitriding (temperature range 670–870 K) was established. The distribution of electron work function on hard-alloy plate surface after ion-beam nitriding was investigated. It is shown, that wear resistance of surface layers of hard alloy after ion-beam nitriding under different temperatures is uniform and has the same intensity for the first 450 m. At later stages of testing, the intensity of wear resistance is markedly different due to the modified layer abrasion. It is shown, that hard alloy ВК6 after ion-beam nitriding in the temperature range 750–790 K has enhanced microhardness, corrosion resistance and decreased up to 3 times mass wear during friction without lubricant, which is associated with carbonitrides formation and their strength increasing due to solid-solution hardening. The high values of the electron work function are characteristic for the surface layer of a hard alloy BК6 after ion-beam nitriding under 750–790 K, which is explained by the electron concentration increase. It is suggested, that ion-beam nitriding under this temperature range increases the corrosion resistance. 

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