PROCESS OF HARDENING OF SURFACES OF ARTICLES IN VACUUM Russian patent published in 1996 - IPC

FIELD: metallurgy. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to ion-beam vacuum treatment of materials. It can be used for modification of surfaces of articles, specifically for formation of antifriction and wear-resistant layers in articles, dry friction units and lubricated units, in units with high specific loads in fine mechanics, instrumentation engineering and tool making. For increase of wear resistance of treated articles and reduction of friction coefficient there are used two methods. In agreement with first method first article is treated in epilamating composition based on high-molecular fluoride-carrying surface active substances in fluoride-carrying solvents, then ions of metals and/or nonmetals are implanted by pulses with frequency 50 Hz with pulse duration 250 μs, energy of single-charge ions 40-100 keV till dosage 5•10¹⁶ ... 1•10¹⁷ cm^-2 is achieved. In compliance with second method first ions of metals and/or nonmetals with parameters specified above are implanted, then article is treated in epilamating composition. Proposed process of hardening of articles in vacuum makes it possible to increase wear resistance by 1.9 times in accordance with first method and by 1.2 times in agreement with second method. Coefficient of rolling friction is one third as low as compared with prototype by first method and 1.5 as low in accordance with second method. EFFECT: increased wear resistance of treated articles, reduced friction coefficient and wear.