Wear and Corrosion Resistance of Thermally Formed Decorative Oxide Layers on Austenitic Steel

This article presents the results of tests on the functional properties of oxide layers (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Cr<sub>1.3</sub>Fe<sub>0.7</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) produced on AISI 316L austenitic steel, which is susceptible to friction we...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tomasz Borowski, Hubert Wójcik, Maciej Spychalski, Bogusława Adamczyk-Cieślak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Metals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/7/707
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Summary:This article presents the results of tests on the functional properties of oxide layers (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Cr<sub>1.3</sub>Fe<sub>0.7</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) produced on AISI 316L austenitic steel, which is susceptible to friction wear, using a new, simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly process conducted in air at three different temperatures (400 °C, 450 °C and 500 °C). Vickers microhardness tests showed that the process slightly increased hardness only at lower indenter loads, indicating a low thickness of the layers. The greatest increase in hardness was observed in the sample oxidized at the lowest temperature. Tests performed using an optical profilometer showed a tendency for surface roughness to increase with oxidation temperature. Low surface roughness, enhanced microhardness and a low coefficient of friction resulted in the steel oxidized at 400 °C exhibiting the lowest wear rate in the “ball-on-disc” test. The contact angle measurements for all tested samples indicated hydrophilic properties. Potentiodynamic tests showed a deterioration in the corrosion resistance of the steel after oxidation at 450 °C and 500 °C. Oxidation at 400 °C did not cause a significant decrease in pitting corrosion resistance, while an increase in polarization resistance and a decrease in corrosion current density were observed. An interesting phenomenon, requiring further research, is the greatest increase in hardness and wear resistance observed in the layer formed at 400 °C.
ISSN:2075-4701