Rapid carburizing of low-alloy steel by atmospheric-controlled induction-heating fine-particle peening and investigation of its fatigue properties

Atmospheric-controlled induction-heating fine-particle peening (AIH-FPP) was applied to low-alloy, low-carbon steel AISI 4120 to achieve rapid carburizing within minutes and enhance fatigue strength. The shot particles used during AIH-FPP were specifically created by mechanically milling a mixture of steel particles and carbon powders. The specimens were analyzed using laser microscopy, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction for residual stress measurement, a micro-Vickers hardness tester, and an electron probe micro-analyzer. Axial fatigue tests and fracture surface analyses via scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also conducted. AIH-FPP effectively transferred carbon to the treated surface and facilitated its diffusion in a short period, creating a martensite layer with high hardness and compressive residual stress, which resulted in increased fatigue strength. The fatigue strength of the AIH-FPP-treated specimens was influenced by the conditions of reheating and quenching, which altered the prior austenitic grain size and stress concentration at the specimen surface. Notably, specimens treated with AIH-FPP followed by reheating and water-injection quenching exhibited fatigue strength comparable to that of conventional gas-carburized specimens, owing to the formation of a carburized layer with a small prior austenite grain size. • AIH-FPP using mechanically-milled particles was performed for low-alloy steel. • AIH-FPP can transfer and diffuse carbon to steel surface within a few minutes. • Carbon diffusion and martensite transformation increase fatigue strength of steel. • The fatigue strength of steel depends on the conditions of reheating and quenching. • Fatigue strength of AIH-FPP treated steel was similar to that of gas-carburized one.