Characterization and wear behavior of TiBC coatings formed by thermo-reactive diffusion technique on AISI D6 steel

A two-step Thermo reactive diffusion processes (including an initial titatinizing step followed by boronizing) is proposed in order to obtain superhard complex TiBC coating layer on AISI D6 steel. Microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of obtained TiBC layer conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), optical microscopy, 2D profilometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-hardness, nano-indentation hardness and ball-on disc wear tests. Wear tests were carried out in ball on disc device by applying 30 N load and 500 m sliding distance against WC abrasive ball. Microstructural studies revealed a compact, homogenous and crack-free TiBC layer with 0.29–1.91 surface roughness (Ra), 3.65–29.5 μm thickness and 1800–4841 HV0.05, hardness and 146–235 GPa elastic modulus. Hardness values of TiBC layers was significantly higher than those obtained by standard titanizing and boronizing due to the interspersed TiB and TiC phases within the TiBC layer. Higher hardness values are highly effective on the wear resistance and wear type. Thus, in parallel with the increase in mechanical properties, wear resistance increased in the range of 4–120 times in comparison with the untreated AISI D6 sample. Severe wear and extensive plastic deformation was observed in the untreated AISI D6, while micro-cutting, micro-cracking and pitting was dominant in samples with hardness 1800–4000 HV. When the surface hardness reached values above 4000 HV the wear mechanism further changed to microcracking and spalling. •TiBC coatings were successfully grown on AISI D6 alloy using the TRD method.•The microstructure and mechanical properties of the TiBC layer were investigated.•The TiBC composite coatings provided higher hardness than single-phase TiB or TiC.•The coatings provided a 120-fold increase in wear resistance.•Transition in wear behavior was observed with change in hardness of the coatings.