Surface hardening of W-Zr polycrystal alloys during their internal saturation

Processes of internal saturation zone formation are investigated during annealing in the atmosphere of industrial nitrogen; change in microchardness of the W-Zr alloy surface, being perspective structural materials, are studied too. It is shown that annealing of W-Zr alloys in the atmosphere of industrial nitrogen leads to diffusion zone formation, having the complex structure and thickness, being equal to 250 μm. Microhardness (anti H50) of the zone surface is 2-3.5 times higher than anti H50 of unsaturated alloys that is a result of ZrO2 and ZrN disperse particle formation in tungsten matrix. Microhardness increase, reached by the internal saturation method, 5-15 times higher than in solid solution tungsten hardening by zirconium