Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Ill., announces that it has been granted a patent for its ultra-fast boriding process. In this technology, parts are dipped into a molten borax-based solution that converts a metallic surface into a hard, durable boride layer 100 micrometers thick in half an hour. Bodycote Thermal Processing, Dallas, Texas, has obtained an exclusive license for Argonne’s development.
The patent covers the ultra-fast nature of the technology, the range of materials that can be treated, and several specific steps in the process. Developed by Distinguished Fellow Ali Erdemir and his team at Argonne, the process reportedly saves time, money, and energy. Because boron is supplied so quickly, the layers are more uniform and dense than those produced by conventional pack boriding, while using 80% to 90% less energy.
Not only is ultra-fast boriding faster, but also it reportedly creates tougher layers than any existing option for surface hardening, including the use of carbon or nitrogen in place of boron.
“The application conditions for all kinds of machinery are getting harsher,” says Dr. Erdemir. “The conventional approach to surface hardening is just not enough to sustain these machines.” This includes automobiles, with parts that bear the burden of heavy loads, erosion, and corrosion. In the aerospace industry, many components are made of titanium, which would be more resilient if treated with ultra-fast boriding.
The three-year project was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office.
