Pulsed plasma accelerators of different gas ions for surface modification

Abstract

The pulsed coaxial plasma accelerator (PPA) was utilized in experiments discussed in this article. Plasma streams with ion energy up to 2 keV, plasma density (2–3)×1014 cm−3 and plasma energy density (5–40) J/cm−2 were generated. Such plasma was used for surface modification of different steels. Experimental results of improvement of metal surfaces physical properties under their irradiation by pulsed plasma streams are presented here. It was shown that microhardness of steel samples, both nonquenched and previously quenched, was increased several times under plasma treatment. Most attention was paid to improvement of wear and corrosion characteristics of the treated materials.