Microstructural, wear and corrosion characteristics of boronized AISI 904L superaustenitic stainless steel

AISI 900 series stainless steels are considered as low-cost alternatives to nickel-based superalloys used for highly corrosive environments. However, in terms of mechanical properties, they have average strength and hardness similar to other austenitic stainless steel grades and this often limits their use. If a 900 series alloy were to be used under tribocorrosive conditions, its surface properties would have to be improved by a wear and corrosion resistant coating. In this study, AISI 904L steel was pack boronized in a solid medium at temperatures of 900, 1000 and 1100 °C for 2, 4 and 6 h with nano-sized boronizing powders. The grown boride layers were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, 2D profilometry, microhardness measurements, ball-on-disk type wear tests and electrochemical corrosion tests. Characterization studies revealed a complex boride layer consisting of FeB, Fe2B, CrB, Cr3B4, Ni3B and Mo2B phases with 2366–2396 HV hardness. Wear tests showed that the abrasive wear resistance of the AISI 904L steel was improved by up to 40 times. The corrosion resistance of boronized AISI 904L was inferior to untreated AISI 904L in 3.5% NaCl, but comparable to AISI 316L. •The wear and corrosion behavior of boronized AISI 904L was investigated.•Boronizing resulted in the formation of a complex, multicomponent boride layer.•The use of nano-sized boriding powders enhanced the growth kinetics of the boride layers.•The boronized samples displayed superior wear resistance and reduced coefficient of friction.•Low boronizing temperatures are required for maintaining high corrosion resistance.