Microstructure and Properties of Mold Steel 3Cr2W8V by Electron Beam Surface Alloying

Abstract

Ti coating was deposited on mold steel 3Cr2W8V by PVD and then processed with electron beam surface alloying process. The microstructure, surface roughness and microhardness of electron beam surface alloying treated specimens were investigated by using metallurgical microscope, SEM , XRD, micro hardness tester and roughness tester. It is shown that the electron beam surface alloying treated specimens have a rapidly solidified microstructure consisting of the uniformly distributed TiC phases and fine VCrFe8 intermetallic phases.The coating has a strong metallurgical boning with substrate, and the coating has high hardness, excellent wear resistance. The coating layer has an average microhardness of approximately HV600, 35% higher than the substrate’s. So it is used widely. Furthermore the need for further research is discussed as well.