SURFACE

ENGINEERING
 Surface Engineering- Scope

Surface
Characterization is
Failure of an External forces The economic perhaps the most
engineering can be benefits - powerful function
Sometimes
component occurs According to a which helps us the
thermal, technological
when its surface report the the UK modify existing
progress and
cannot adequately optical, coating market surfaces, create
manufacturing
withstand the magnetic and is approximately new coatings,
efficiency
external forces or electrical £21.3 b. formulations,
requires surface
environment to understand
wear, or modifications. (RSIC Report,
which it is mechanism of
subjected. corrosion. 2005) surface
degradation and
its improvement
Definition
To make changes to the surface of a material.

Purpose
To gain or improve upon the desired surface
properties of a material. To improve a
components; performance, service lifetime,
aesthetics or economics.

Surface Engineering Processes

There are many processes for modifying
surface properties. These can be grouped
into three categories
 INTRODUCTION
 What is Surface Engineering ?
 Surface engineering is the sub-discipline of materials science which deals with the surface of
solid matters.
 Solids are composed of a bulk materials covered by surface. The surface which bounds the
bulk material is called the surface phase.
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 The surface phase of a solid interacts with the surrounding environment this interaction
can degrade the
surface phase over time.
 Surface engineering involves altering the properties of the surface phase in order to reduce
the degradation over time.
 This is an accomplished by making the surface robust to the environment in which it will be
used.
 Surface engineering refers to a wide range of technology designed to modify the surface
properties of metallic & non-metallic components for decorative or functional purpose.
 Include improving corrosion & wear resistance to extend component
life making items more visually attractive & giving special
properties such as lubricity enhancement, non-stick
surface etc.
 WHY SURFACE ENGINEERING?

 An engineering component usually fails when its surface cannot adequately withstand the external
forces or environment to which it is subjected.
 The choice of a surface material with the appropriate thermal, optical, magnetic and
electrical properties & sufficient resistance to wear, corrosion & degradation is crucial to its
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functionality.
 Improving the functionality of an existing product is only one aim of surface engineering.
 Surface engineering, provides additional functionality to solid surfaces, involves structures
and compositions not found naturally in solid, is used to modify the surface properties of solids, and
involves application of thin film coating, surface functionalization and activation, and plasma treatment.
Surface Engineering Processes
Surface modification without changing the material chemically

Changes made by thermal or mechanical means, altering metallurgy or

surface texture.

Surface modification by altering surface chemistry

These processes involve diffusion of new elements into the surface of the
material. The original substrate material constituents play an active part
in the modified surface.

Surface modification by adding new material onto the surface

(coating).

These processes essentially add new material to the surface as a coating

and do not involve the substrate material constituents at the surface.
 Surface Modification without Changing
the Material Chemically
• Thermal Processes
Surface Heat treatment, particularly those that undergo phase
transformations like the martensitic reaction hardening of carbon steels, low
alloy steels and cast irons - Laser, Flame, induction

• Mechanical Processes
Cold working - surface by peening, shot blasting, explosive hardening or
other specialised machining processes induce compressive stresses,
increasing hardness and fatigue resistance.
• Changing surface texture using machining and blasting.

• Other Processes
Modification of surfaces by chemical/electro-etching, laser engraving,
various chemical, solvent and ultrasonic cleaning processes could also be
included here.
 Surface Modification by Changing
Surface Chemistry
• Thermochemical Diffusion Processes
– Carburising (carburizing)
– carbonitriding
– nitriding nitrocarburising
– boronising
• In all these processes new element goes into interstitial position.
– aluminising (aluminizing, calorising, alonising)
– chromising (chromizing)
– siliconising (siliconizing)
– In this process new element goes into Substitutional SS
• Electrochemical Processes
– Anodising (anodizing) of aluminium, titanium
• Chemical Conversion Coatings
– Phosphating chemical blacking chromating
• Ion Implantation Processes
Surface Modification by Adding New
Material onto the Surface (Coating)
Welding Type Processes

Thermal Spray Process

Electroplating Electroless plating

Galvanising, molten bath -tin aluminium (Al not aluminide) babbit

PVD Physical Vapour Deposition

CVD Chemical Vapour Deposition

Painting Spin Coating

Powder Coating Lubricants Tiling

Cladding
Why Surface Treatment ?

To achieve desired
surface properties
which cannot be
achieved by
conventional
alloying process.
What are the surface Properties?
Corrosion

Oxidation

Wear

Erosion/abrasion

Hardness

Conductivity
What are the various modes by which
surface properties can be
enhanced ?
• Coatings
Creating a • Cladding
Barrier • Surface Alloying

• Homogenization
Surface • Hardening
treatments • Reflectivity change
 Different Techniques to achieve
Surface Modifications
• Case Hardening
• Slurry
Conventional • Hot Dip
Methods •
•
Quenching
Hardfacing
• Electrodeposition

• PVD
Advanced • CVD
Methods •
•
Thermal Spray
Laser Based
Selection of Surface Treatment
Method
Based upon Change in function property

Substrate characteristics
Thickness of the modified surface
Throughput of the process ( slow, fast)
Requirement of vacuum
Geometry of the component
Economics
Thickness as Selection Criteria for Coating
Technique
 Surface Engineering

Gaseous State Solution Molten/semi molten

•PVD
Sol-Gel Laser
•Ion Implantation
Electroplating Thermal Spray
•Ion Beam Assisted
Welding
•CVD
 Classification of Coatings
Types Of Coating
Processes

CVD PVD Thermal spray

Mechanism
Mechanism ofof Coatings
Coatings
B

Mechanical Bonding Types Diffusion Of Coating

Of Coating
 Important parameters to be optimized to control the
properties at substrate coating and its interface

Interface
Coating Surface
Adhesion •Roughness
Interdiffusion •Erosion
Cleanliness •Corrosion/oxidation
Roughness •Friction
Expansion •Porosity
mismatch •Electrical properties
Coating

Interface Coating Bulk

Cohesion
Stress
Substrate Adhesion
Cracks/defects
Graded composition
Multilayers
Surface Property Improvement Triangle

Surface
modification
technique
Examples of Surface Modification in Industry
S.No Industry Part/machine Problem for which coating is
. required
1 Aircraft , Turbine Disc, Fretting wear
Gas Turbine Lybrinth seals Friction / Hot Corrosion
Turbine Blades Hot Corrosion and erosion
Rotor Shafts Fretting wear
2 Automobiles Exhaust Nozzles High Temperature Corrosion
Cylinder jackets and Rubbing wear
Liners
Piston Heads and Thermal Fatigue and
crowns Corrosive wear
Camshafts/Crank Fatigue/wear
shafts
3 Textile Yankey Dryers Abrasion and wear
Machinery Grooved rolls Abrasion and
Package drive rolls wear Abrasion
Twisting rolls and wear
Yarn guides Abrasion and wear
Tension gates & Abrasion and
drives wear Abrasion
and wear
4 Glass Work Scoops and Moulds Hot Corrosion/abrasion
Diamond Work Dies Hot
Bushing Plates Corrosion/abrasion
Diamond Polishing Pads Hot Corrosion/abrasion
Abrasive Wear
5 Paper & Pulp Gripper Bars/pads Abrasive wear
Printing Industry Grip Rolls Abrasive
Transport Rolls wear
Guide Plates Abrasion
Folder Rolls Rubbing wear
Surface wear
6 Chemical, Oil exploration Shafts Abrasive wear
Petrochemical Well Casing Corrosive wear
Tanks & Vessels Corrosive wear
Impellers Fatigue & Corr. Wear
Plug valves Chemical corrosion
7 Power Plants Gas Turbine Blades Corrosion and abrasion
Boilers Furnace Pipes Heat Corrosion
Superheater tubes Oxidation/sulfidation/erosion/Hot
Corrosion
Boiler Tubes Heat & sulfidation attack
Coat Chuts Abrasive wear