Formation of the Surface Layer with Improved Tribological Properties on Austenitic Stainless Steel by Alloying with REE Using HIPPB

Abstract

Austenitic stainless steels with their very good corrosion resistance are used in industrial applications nuclear and petrochemical industries, pulp and paper chemical, food and chemical processing, biomedical industries and others. But poor tribological and mechanical properties of austenitic stainless steels limit their applications in engineering fields. AISI 316L steel was subjected to transient treatment using high intensity pulsed plasma beams HIPPB. The plasma pulses contained both ions/atoms of electrodes material: Ce, La or (Ce+La) and those of working gas. The pulse energy densities (3.0 J/cm2) were sufficient to melt the near surface layer of steel and introduce REE to the melted material. Heating and cooling processes were of non-equilibrium type.