Investigation of the Electrolyte Effects on Formation of Vanadium Carbide via Plasma Electrolytic Saturation Method (pes)

One of the most important hardening methods of tool steel is the use of carbide coatings. During this process, vanadium atoms diffuse the specimen’s surface at high temperature and reacts with the available carbon in steel and create vanadium carbide with high hardness. During the plasma electrolytic saturation (PES) process, the vanadium element diffuses with the help of plasma and increases up to around 950∘ as a result of the temperature, providing conditions for the creation of vanadium carbide. The best combination of electrolyte is 4g vanadium oxide and 50mL hydrochloric acid and different concern of sodium hydroxide. The results indicate that the formed coating is about 30μm. As the conductivity increases, the condition for diffusion is provided; however, with increase in the temperature, the diffusion decreases. The coating formation is observed in the current at 9-11 A and hardness of this coating is about 1400vickers.