The Influence of Laser Alloying with Boron on the Condition and Properties of the Surface Layer of Selected Iron Alloys

This article presents the effect of laser alloying with boron on the surface layer of iron alloys: steel and grey cast iron. The general goal of this review is to specify the main differences that can be expected after this treatment of selected iron-based alloys. Boron as an alloying element is first characterized. The effects of laser alloying are described in comparison to diffusion processing. The next section describes the effect of laser alloying with boron on the microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance of the surface layer of selected iron alloys. As a result of the conducted analysis, the most significant differences in the outcomes of laser alloying with boron, which may occur during the processing of various iron alloys, are as follows: the presence of graphite in the surface layer in the case of grey cast iron treatment and a clearly visible transition zone between the alloyed zone and the hardened zone during the treatment of grey cast iron as opposed to steel; variable depths of the modified surface layer and varied grain size in the alloy zone depending on the thermophysical properties of the material being treated.