Abstract
Cr-Fe-C alloy deposits were successfully prepared on high-carbon tool steel in a Cr3+-based electroplating bath containing Fe2+ ions and suitable complex agents. A Cr-based alloy deposit was obtained with an electroplating current density higher than 25 Adm−2, and a Fe-based alloy deposit was obtained using a current density of 20 Adm−2. Following electroplating, these alloy deposited specimens were annealed via rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 500 °C for different periods up to 30 s. The experimental results show that Cr- and Fe-based alloy deposits could be significantly hardened after RTA at 500 °C for a few seconds. The maximum hardness was that of the Cr-Fe-C alloy deposit annealed at 500 °C for 10 s. The maximum hardness of 1205 Hv was detected from the annealed Cr-based alloy deposit prepared with 30 ASD. The hardening mechanism of annealed Cr- and Fe-based alloy deposits is attributed to the precipitation of C-related membranes. The hardness values of the annealed Cr- and Fe-based alloy deposits increase with the increasing degree of crystallization of the C-related membranes.
Highlights
Because it has superior wear and corrosion resistance, Cr- or Cr-based alloy electroplating is widely used for the surface finishing of metallic components
The Fe content in the Cr-Fe-C alloy deposit decreases with increasing electroplating current density, indicating that a Fe-based alloy deposit can be obtained with an electroplating current density, indicating that a Fe-based alloy deposit can be obtained with an electroplating current current density lower than 20 ASD, whereas a Cr-based alloy deposit requires 25 or more ASD
Cr-Fe-C alloy deposits were successfully prepared with a current density varying in the 20–30 ASD
Summary
Because it has superior wear and corrosion resistance, Cr- or Cr-based alloy electroplating is widely used for the surface finishing of metallic components. Cr or Cr-based alloy deposition can be performed through electroplating from a Cr6+ -based bath that is highly hazardous for the environment and humans. The development of facile Cr-based alloy deposition from a Cr3+ -based electroplating bath with low toxicity has recently attracted the attention of many researchers [1,2,3,4,5]. Because the hydrated Cr3+ ions are stable in solution [4,6], the addition of complex agents such as formic acid and urea in a Cr3+ -based bath is vital for Cr-based alloy electrodeposition [7,8,9,10,11]. Many studies have confirmed that Cr-C electrodeposition can be achieved from a Cr3+ -based bath with the addition of formic acid. The C content in the Cr-C deposit is considered to be provided from the formic acid in the Cr3+ -based plating bath [7,12,13,14,15,16]
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