Characterization and Kinetics of VC Coatings on AISI D3 Steel Performed by Thermo-Reactive Diffusion Technique

Abstract In the present study, VC coatings on AISI D3 steel were processed by pack method thermo-reactive diffusion method (TRD) in a solid medium for 2 and 4 h at 950, 1000, 1050 and 1100 °C, respectively. Then, the coated specimens were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analysis. From the results, between 5.6 and 26.8 μm carbide layers on the surface were obtained by increasing process time and temperature. The coatings were determined by VC and V2C phases. The kinetics of vanadium carbide coating was also studied and the activation energy was estimated to be 180.73 kJ/mol. The avarage value of the microhardness of the coating is 2400 HV. The ball crater test was applied to determine the micro abrasion behaviors of the coated samples.