Boride Layer Engineering in Metallic Alloys
Summary
Boride layer engineering encompasses the deliberate formation and optimisation of hard, chemically stable boride compounds on the surfaces of metallic substrates. By diffusing boron into steels, nickel alloys and other metals, multi-phase surface layers (commonly FeB, Fe₂B, CrB, NiB and related phases) can be tailored to enhance wear resistance, reduce friction, and improve corrosion performance. Advances in thermochemical treatments—such as pack boriding, plasma paste boriding and laser-assisted processes—allow precise control of layer thickness, phase composition and microstructure. Recent efforts have focused on coupling boriding with surface-modification techniques (laser cladding, nitriding) and on modelling diffusion kinetics to predict layer growth as a function of temperature, time and sample geometry. These developments have broadened the industrial applicability of boride coatings in tooling, automotive, aerospace and energy sectors, offering cost-effective strategies to extend component lifetime in demanding environments.
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Boride Layer Engineering in Metallic Alloys publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in boride layer engineering in metallic alloys across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Boride layer: A surface coating composed of metal borides (e.g. FeB, Fe₂B, CrB, NiB) formed by diffusing boron into a metallic substrate.
Pack boriding: A thermochemical process in which workpieces are embedded in a boron-rich powder at elevated temperature to induce boron diffusion.
Diffusion kinetics: The study of the rate and mechanism by which atoms migrate into a substrate during thermochemical treatments, governing layer growth.
Laser cladding: A surface-engineering technique that deposits a metal or alloy layer using a focused laser beam, often combined with subsequent treatments.
Microhardness: A measure of a material’s resistance to localized plastic deformation, typically assessed using Vickers or Knoop indenters on thin surface layers.
References
- Kinetics of the Boride Layers Obtained on AISI 1018 Steel by Considering the Amount of Matter Involved. Coatings (2021).
- Boriding of Laser-Clad Inconel 718 Coatings for Enhanced Wear Resistance. Applied Sciences (2021).
- The Importance of Phase Composition for Corrosion Resistance of Borided Layers Produced on Nickel Alloys. Materials (2020).
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