The effect of aging treatment on the indentation properties of a nickel boride layer

Abstract

The mechanical performance of a nickel boride layer formed on an Inconel 718 superalloy at 1173 K with an exposure time of 6 h and a double aging treatment (DAT) was obtained. The effect of the DAT led to the redistribution of boron and niobium along the depth of the layer-substrate system, increasing the depth of the diffusion zone, and extending the depth of the compressive residual stresses in the layer. In particular, the DAT enhanced the fracture resistance by approximately 1.5 times compared with that of the layer not exposed to the treatment.