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Modelling boron diffusion for Fe2B layer formation: comparative kinetics analysis in pack-boronized AISI 4147 steel

  • Martin Ortiz-Domínguez

    Asst. Prof. Dt. Dr. Martin Ortiz-Domínguez, full time researcher and lecturer at the Escuela Superior de Ciudad Sahagún-UAEH. He is a Mechanical Engineer with a specific interest in quantum information theory, nanotechnology, classical electrodynamics, surface engineering, tribology and processes that occur at interfaces as well as mechanical behaviour of metallic materials. His PhD in Mechanical Engineering is from National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico in 2013. He has published over 55 publications in the field of boriding process and classical electrodynamics. The research team counts for 12 researchers working on functional surfaces and computing modelling of engineering materials. He was awarded the National Research System level one by the National Science and Technology Council of Mexico (CONACyT) since 2013 up to date.

    and Mourad Keddam

    Prof. Dr. Mourad Keddam, born 1965, completed his graduate and doctorate studies at National Polytechnic School (El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria). He works in thermochemical treatments and modeling of their kinetics and metallurgical phase transformations. He has published over 150 publications in the field of boriding and nitriding. He has been working in the Department of Mateials Sciences at the university of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (Algiers, Algeria) since 2001. He is currently full professor at the same institution.

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Published/Copyright: August 1, 2023
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Abstract

In this current research paper, the modelling of boron diffusion during the powder-pack boronizing was achieved by utilizing two kinetics approaches: the integral method and average diffusion coefficient (ADC) method. This integral method used a general solution of algebraic differential equations (DAEs) system. The powders mixture composed of: 33.5 wt% B4C, 5.4 wt% KBF4 and 61.1 wt% SiC was employed to generate the Fe2B layers on AISI 4147 steel in the interval of 1123–1273 K for 2–8 h. The obtained surface layers have been characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the growth front with a typical saw-toothed morphology. The crystalline nature of boride phase has been verified by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD). The calculation results arising from the two models led to the similar boron activation energy in Fe2B equal to 196.19 kJ mol−1. Additionally, both models were checked out empirically by selecting three extra boronizing conditions obtained at 1273 K for increasing times (2.5, 4.5 and 8.5 h). The predicted layers’ thicknesses were found to be in line with the experimental results.


Corresponding author: Mourad Keddam, USTHB, SDM, Algiers, Algeria, E-mail:

Funding source: PRODEP and CONAHCYT Mexico ́ ( National Council of Humanities, Sciences and Technologies).

About the authors

Martin Ortiz-Domínguez

Asst. Prof. Dt. Dr. Martin Ortiz-Domínguez, full time researcher and lecturer at the Escuela Superior de Ciudad Sahagún-UAEH. He is a Mechanical Engineer with a specific interest in quantum information theory, nanotechnology, classical electrodynamics, surface engineering, tribology and processes that occur at interfaces as well as mechanical behaviour of metallic materials. His PhD in Mechanical Engineering is from National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico in 2013. He has published over 55 publications in the field of boriding process and classical electrodynamics. The research team counts for 12 researchers working on functional surfaces and computing modelling of engineering materials. He was awarded the National Research System level one by the National Science and Technology Council of Mexico (CONACyT) since 2013 up to date.

Mourad Keddam

Prof. Dr. Mourad Keddam, born 1965, completed his graduate and doctorate studies at National Polytechnic School (El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria). He works in thermochemical treatments and modeling of their kinetics and metallurgical phase transformations. He has published over 150 publications in the field of boriding and nitriding. He has been working in the Department of Mateials Sciences at the university of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (Algiers, Algeria) since 2001. He is currently full professor at the same institution.

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: The work described in this paper was supported by a grant of PRDEP and CONACyT México (National Council of Science and Technology).

  3. Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Published Online: 2023-08-01
Published in Print: 2023-10-26

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