Electrochemical hardness modification of non-allotropic metal surfaces
US6139656A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 1995 |
| Grant date | Oct 31, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF05C2253/12
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An electrochemical method of modifying the surface hardness of a non-allotropic metal member 10, comprising: (a) forming the member to near net-shape with at least one surface 12 to be hardened; (b) subjecting the surface 12 to rapid melting and resolidification by incidence of an electrical discharge between an electrode 16 and the surface 12 closely spaced thereto, the spacing containing an electrolyte with plasma forming capability, the surface 12 being hardened by crystallographic change of the globules resulting from substitutional alloying; and (c) cropping the surface grains 29 of the surface to increase load bearing capacity while retaining liquid retention capacity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.