Treatment method of a metallic substrate, metallic substrate thereby obtained and his applications

摘要

At least the surface of a piece of metal is heated at 300-460 deg. C at a pressure of 0.5-200, preferably 0.5-20, mbars in an atmosphere containing at least one activated element which diffuses a little way into the metal, forming a surface layer comprising a solid solution free of precipitates and containing 5-50 atom% of the element. Also claimed is a piece of metal so treated to give it a hard surface layer containing at least one of carbon, boron and nitrogen in amount 5-50, preferably 10-30, atom%.