Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, cilt.183, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Background AISI 4140 steel is widely used in the industries due to its high strength and toughness. However, this alloy suffers from limited surface hardness and wear resistance. Methods In this study, the effects of pre-and post-heat treatments combined with electroless Ni–P coating on the microstructural evolution and tribological behavior of AISI 4140 steel were investigated. Microstructural characterization, surface roughness measurements, hardness testing, and dry sliding wear experiments were employed to evaluate coating performance. Significant Findings Microstructural analysis showed that heat-treated steel exhibited a finer and more uniform martensitic structure compared to the ferrite–pearlite structure of untreated steel. The untreated condition showed an average coating thickness of 17 µm and a surface roughness (Ra) of 1.456 µm. After pre- and post-deposition heat treatments at 450 °C, surface roughness decreased to 0.834 µm, indicating improved interfacial diffusion. Ni–P coatings on untreated steel exhibited poor adhesion, leading to delamination and abrasive wear. Pre-heat treatment increased substrate hardness, reducing wear by ∼45%. Post-coating heat treatment transformed the amorphous Ni–P layer into crystalline Ni3P, increased hardness above 900 HV. Consequently, the specific wear rate decreased from 2.7 × 10−4 to 0.2 × 10−4 mm3/N·m.