SURFACE TECHNOLOGY FOR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE MATERIALS

Many current surface technologies apply coatings at temperatures which are too high for materials such as polymers, aluminium alloys and con structional steels. In the present work, recent advances are discussed whereby these materials can be surface-hardened at lower temperatures to improve the wear resistance without loss of their mechanical prope rties. The techniques presented are metal ion implantation where harde ning is found well beyond the zone where the implanted material reside s, pulsed intense beam technology where hardening is achieved by a ult ra-rapid melt and resolidification of the surface leading to a very fi ne grain size, and low-temperature deposition of TIN accompanied by io n bombardment which produces dense, wear-resistant coatings at tempera tures in the order of 160 degrees C. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.