Influence of induction chemical-thermal treatment in a gaseous medium on the formation of a wear-resistant gradient nitride layer on tool steel

Currently, there are various methods allowing the improvement of the physical and mechanical properties of metalworking tools. Gas nitriding is one of the given methods. In this work, the improvement of the physical and mechanical properties of high-speed tool steel products using induction chemical thermal treatment (ICTT) in a nitrogen-containing environment is proposed. As a result of the use of short-term treatment by the ICTT method, the hardness of the surface layer of products reaches at least 17–20 GPa with a layer thickness within 0.8 mm. The proposed method enables the improvement of the functional qualities of metalworking products operating under the conditions of friction with increased contact loads.