ENHANCED EFFICIENCY ELECTRO-ENHANCEMENT PROCESS FOR SURFACES

摘要

This disclosure provides systems and methods for improved electro-enhancement of surfaces of workpieces. The systems and methods can include immersing a metal workpiece in a salt bath and applying a time-varying electric current that has periods of high current with periods of lower current between. The systems and methods provide borided metal workpieces that contain preferred borides on the surface and lack less preferred borides. For example, the systems and methods can provide borided steel having Fe2B and substantially lacking FeB on the surface.

主权项

1. A method of boronizing a surface of a metal workpiece using an electrochemical system, the electrochemical system comprising a furnace including a salt bath and an electrochemical circuit including a power supply, a pulse generator, a cathodic contact electrically coupled to the metal workpiece, and an anode, the anode positioned in the salt bath, the method comprising:
a) immersing at least a portion of the metal workpiece in the salt bath, thereby positioning the metal workpiece at a distance of between 0.1 mm and 10 cm from the anode, the salt bath comprising at least one source of boron, the salt bath having a temperature between 500° C. and 1500° C.; b) subsequent to step a) and using the power supply and the pulse generator, applying a time-varying electric current between the metal workpiece and the anode for an overall duration of between 1 second and 180 minutes, thereby boronizing the surface of the metal workpiece, the time-varying electric current comprising primary electric current pulses and secondary electric current pulses, the primary electric current pulses providing a primary current density that initiates release of boron from the at least one source of boron, the primary electric current pulses having a primary pulse duration of between 1 ms and 15 s, the secondary electric current pulses providing a secondary current density that is less than 50% of the primary current density, the secondary electric current pulses having a secondary pulse duration of between 0.01 s and 250 s; and c) removing the metal workpiece from the salt bath.