Surface Age-Hardened High Speed Steel with High Co Content Formed on Undecarburized Carbon Steel

Tungsten, molybdenum and cobalt were co-diffused into the surface of undecarburized 45 steel at 1150 ℃ for 6 hours by a double glow plasma surface alloying technique. A Fe-W-Mo-Co type gradient surface alloyed layer with very low carbon content was formed. Thickness of the surface alloyed layer is 225.2μm. Concentrations of alloying elements Co, W and Mo in the alloyed layer are mostly ranged from 21 to 14 wt.%, 12 to 6 wt.% and 7 to 5 wt.%, respectively. The concentrations of alloying elements basically meet the requirements of W11Mo7Co23 type age-hardened high speed steel. The alloyed samples were solution heat treated, ageing and high-temperature tempering. The results show that the surface alloyed layer formed on 45 steel exhibits very strong age-hardening property and anti-temper softening ability as the metallurgical age-hardened high speed steel, the surface age-hardened high speed steel on ingot and decarburized carbon steel.