Effects of single- and dual-element ion implantation on tribomechanical properties of Cronidur 30 bearing steel

This paper presents the results of a study on the effects of Ti ion and Ti + Cr ion implantation on the hardness and wear resistance of Cronidur 30 bearing steel. The mechanical properties of the samples implanted and nonimplanted were investigated by nanoindentation, friction and wear tests; The microstructures and phase transformations were also studied by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface nanohardness improved significantly, changing from 11 GPa (non-implanted substrate) to 13 GPa (Ti ion sample) and 14 GPa (Ti + Cr ion sample). The increased wear resistance of Cronidur 30 after Ti + Cr ion implantation was twice that after Ti ion implantation and more than 10 times higher than that of the untreated sample. The TEM analysis confirmed the presence of amorphous and nanocrystalline phases in the samples. The XPS and GIXRD analyses confirmed new ceramic solutes. The tribomechanical improvement induced by implantation is attributed to the substructure strengthening and reinforcement of ceramic solutes.