Film formation of silicon carbide on steel by activation reaction ion plating with thermal electron

The formation of SiC (amorphous) film on steel was performed by reaction ion plating with electron activating ionization. Acetylene was superior to methane as the reactant gas at low gas partial pressures, and the SiC produced in this experiment was amorphous. Film characteristics was controlled by regulating gas partial pressure and ionization current. The optimum condition for the production of a hard SiC amorphous film on steel were: reactant gas: acetylene of 5.2 x 10-2 Pa; bias voltage: -0.8kV; ion current: 23 - 28 mA; ionization voltage: -0.3kV. The maximum hardness of SiC films produced in this experiment was Hv 4260. For the SiC films produced in solutions without Cl- ion the anodic polarization curves showed good corrosion resistance, but values were less for solution with Cl- ion. Wear resistance was as good as that of TiC films. (author)