Structure and properties of 20Kh13 steel after laser treatment

1. Laser heat treatment and laser siliciding are promising methods of increasing hardness, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance of 20Kh13 steel in comparison with the similar characteristics after normal heat treatment. This is the result of features of formation of the structure as the result of laser treatment. 2. In laser heat treatment with the use of pulsed and continuous irradiation significant differences in the phase composition and properties of the hardened zones were not observed. However, there is an insignificant increase in hardness with pulsed radiation, which is related to the formation of a more dispersed structure. 3. Laser alloying of 20Kh13 steel with a pulsed source of irradiation made it possible to obtain a higher combination of properties than with laser heat treatment as the result of impregnation of the surface layers with silicon. 4. The high degree of homogeneity of the composition of 20Kh13 steel with laser alloying is caused primarily by intense circulation and movement of the molten material. This agrees with the qualitative model of mass exchange proposed in [3].