The Influence of Thermal-Diffusion Saturation on the Properties of Boride Layers in AISI1095 Tool Steel

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the mechanical properties of boride diffusion coatings applied to AISI1095 steel.The study is conducted to enhance the wear resistance and durability of tools and machine parts.Using thermal-diffusion saturation, single-phase and two-phase boride layers are formed, for which detailed measurements of microhardness and microbrittleness are carried out.Tests are performed with the PMT-3 device under loads ranging from 0.4 N to 20 N, allowing the determination of the relationships between microhardness, brittleness, and load magnitude.Data analysis revealed three distinct regions of microhardness variation corresponding to different load levels and highlighted the behaviour of boride phases FeB and Fe2B.Special attention is given to studying interphase boundaries, where maximum residual stresses, contributing to crack formation and coating degradation, are observed.The obtained results enable more accurate predictions of the operational characteristics of boride coatings and optimization of application regimes that is particularly important for components subjected to critical loads in industries such as heavy industry and mechanical engineering.This research contributes to the development of protective coating technologies aimed at improving the wear resistance and durability of products.