Effect of simultaneous surface modification process on wear resistance of martensitic stainless steel

In order to improve the wear resistance of martensitic stainless steel, a surface treatment system was developed that combines high-frequency induction heating (IH) with fine particle peening (FPP). In this system, a compressed air spray from the FPP nozzle rapidly cools the specimen surface, which is heated by the IH system. The specimen surface can be simultaneously modified by work hardening and quenching. Vickers hardness and retained austenite measurements were conducted to characterize the surface-modified layer generated by the developed process. Surface microstructures were also observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The process created a surface with a high hardness and an extremely fine-grained microstructure. The fine-grained microstructure was generated by dynamic recrystallization. The process reduced the amount of retained austenite in the surface layer because it increased the precipitated chromium carbide content. Reciprocating sliding wear tests were conducted to evaluate the wear resistance of the surface. The specimen modified by the developed process exhibited higher wear resistance than specimens that had only been quenched. This implies that the developed simultaneous process can significantly improve the wear resistance of steel surfaces.