Effects of Surface Treatments on Materials Performance

Surface treatments are used in a variety of ways to improve the material properties of a component. This article provides information on surface treatments that improve service performance so that the design engineer may consider surface-engineered components as an alternative to more costly materials. It describes solidification surface treatments such as hot dip coatings, weld overlays, and thermal spray coatings. The article discusses deposition surface treatments such as electrochemical plating, chemical vapor deposition, and physical vapor deposition processes. It explains surface hardening and diffusion coatings such as carburizing, nitriding, and carbonitriding. The article also tabulates typical characteristics of carburizing, nitriding, and carbonitriding diffusion treatments.