Abstract:Boronizing was applied to Inconel 718. In order to obtain the optimal combination of strength and ductility, the borided Inconel 718 was subjected to standard heat treatment. This consists of solution treatment and then a two-step aging treatment. The borided layer is composed of the compound layer and the boron diffusion zone. Because of the superior hardness of borides, the borided Inconel 718 exhibits a significant reduction in its wear rate and relatively low coefficient of friction (COF) compared with the unborided Inconel 718. The standard heat treatment efficiently promotes the diffusion of boron into the interior of the material and the generation of new borides (Fe₂B, CrB). The borided layer with standard heat treatment shows much better wear resistance due to the thicker borided layer (313.76 μm).

Key words: boronizing; Inconel 718; standard heat treatment; wear resistance; corrosion resistance