Surface polishing and modification of 3Cr2Mo mold steel by electron beam irradiation

It is difficult to achieve 3Cr2Mo plastic mold steel with good comprehensive mechanical properties by traditional surface modification methods. In this study, electron beam (EB) polishing technology was used to improve the surface quality of 3Cr2Mo plastic mold steel. Surface morphology, microhardness, wear resistance, and variation regularity in width and depth of the modified layer were also investigated. The surface morphology of 3Cr2Mo was found to be a composite microstructure of acicular and lath martensites. The surface roughness was improved by this technique. Additionally, in the depth and width of the modified layer, the microhardness and wear resistance showed a positive effect as the beam current increased. These results indicated that EB irradiation could be an efficient method for mold surface polishing.