INVESTIGATION OF CHROMIUM AND VANADIUM CARBIDE COATING FORMATION ON SKD11 AND T10 BY THERMO-REACTIVE DIFFUSION (TRD) METHOD

Carbide coatings, due to their excellent anti-wear properties, are used to extend the life of molds exposed to abrasion forces. Various processes have been applied to produce carbide coatings. Thermo-reaction diffusion (TRD) using a molten salt bath could be considered as an economical method compared to other coating processes. In this study carbide-composite coatings using molten salt baths composed of oxides of carbide forming elements (chromium and vanadium) on SKD-11 and T10 tool steels at 1000 ℃ were formed. The results showed that the coatings included chromium carbide phases: CrC, Cr7C3, and Cr23C6 as well as vanadium carbide: VC, VC0.88, V6C5, V8C7, and a triple phase with the composition of Cr2C2V. The highest hardness (1890-2020 HV) and the lowest coefficient of friction (0.14) were achieved by the carbide coating of T10 steel with the second bath of vanadium oxide.