TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF MEDIUM-CARBON STEEL AFTER NITRIDING COMBINED WITH SUBSEQUENT OXIDATION AND IMPREGNATION
The paper presents the results of examinations of tribological and corrosion properties of the layers produced on a C45 medium-carbon steel surface in the gas nitriding process combined with subsequent treatment – oxidation and impregnation of corrosion inhibitor. Investigations of the microstructure of these layers and their phase composition were carried out. Hardness of the layers was measured by Vickers method. Tribological properties (linear wear) of the layers were performed by means of the three-cylinder-cone method. Resistance to corrosion was determined by electrochemical methods. The investigations showed that the linear wear of the C45 steel samples with the layers produced in the combined processes of nitriding with subsequent oxidation and impregnation was smaller than that of steel samples without layers. Moreover, the corrosion resistance of these layers in aggressive solutions containing chloride ions was very good.