An investigation on fatigue life of borided AISI 1010 steel

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the fatigue life of box borided AISI 1010 steel materials. Design/methodology/approach: Fatigue specimens firstly have been prepared according to ASTM E466-96 standard and normalized. Then their surfaces have been cleaned by polishing. Boriding heat treatment has been applied in solid media with the help of Ekabor2 powder. Specimens have been borided at 1173-1223-1273 and 1323 K temperatures for 2-4 and 6 hours respectively. Fatigue tests have been made in rotating-bend test device. Separate S-N diagram has been formed for each boriding condition and then their results were compared with the results of the specimens on which any heat treatment has not been made. Findings: As a result it has been seen that boriding has no positive effect on fatigue life of AISI 1010 steel materials. And also it has been determined that fatigue life of the materials on which boriding heat treatment applied, decreases in between 14 %-55 %. Research limitations/implications: It can be noted that the reasons of short fatigue life determination are the boride layer’s much higher hardness than the substrate material’s, and the micro cracks existed between boride phases formed onto the surface. Originality/value: The investigations on fatigue life of borided AISI 1010 steel were made.