Surface Engineering

Introduction

Surface Engineering is a field related with science and technology of

modifying surface characteristics as per needs so to enhance the life of the
engineered product while operating.

The need for the properties is primarily dictated by the service conditions and
functionality of the component.

or

Surface Engineering is an approach of developing the surfaces having

features different from that of bulk material for enhancing the life and
functionality of the engineering component.
Purpose of Surface Engineering

Enhancement of the performance of engineering component w.r.t the

following

1. Increase the resistance to corrosion, wear, oxidation and sulfidation

2. Enhance the mechanical properties, electrical properties, and electronic

properties, thermal conductivity and insulation

3. Reduce the coefficient of friction and improve the lubrication

characteristics

4. Improve the aesthetic characteristics

 Surface and sub-surface zones

The surface of any component made of

Crystalline material is characterized by

 The nature of surface irregularities

which quantifies in term of surface
roughness,

 The subsurface region which is

generally composed of five different
zones
 Sub-Surface regions
 Zone I: Comprises a very thin layer of few nanometers called contamination
layer retains absorbed gases, hydrocarbons and moisture etc.

 Zone II: Constitutes impurities such as oxides, nitrides etc., which are
formed as a result of interaction between atmosphere or ambient gases and
substrate surface

 Zone III: Involves layer usually thinner than one micrometer with badly
damaged crystalline structure

 Zone IV: Consist of layer thickness ranging from few micron to 100
micrometers with grain structure deformed by the application of external
stresses during manufacturing or residual stresses.

 Zone V: Involves normal structure of bulk materials as per thermal and

mechanical stresses which is experienced by material during manufacturing.
 Role of surface on various Engineering phenomena

Nature of Surfaces
A solid surface, or more exactly a solid–gas or solid–liquid interface, has a
complex structure and complex properties dependent upon the nature of
solids, the method of surface preparation, and the interaction between the
surface and the environment.

Figure1 Solid surface details: surface texture and typical surface layers.
Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Surface Layers
1. Physisorbed Layer
Besides the chemically reacted layer that forms on metals in reactive environments,
adsorbed layers may be formed from the environment both on metallic or
nonmetallic surfaces. For example, the admission of an inert gas, such as Ar to the
surface can produce the physical adsorption of the argon to the clean surface. The
most common constituents of adsorbate layers are molecules of water vapor,
oxygen, or hydrocarbons from the environment that may be condensed and become
physically adsorbed to the solid surface.
With physisorption, no exchange of electrons takes place between the molecules of
the adsorbate and those of the adsorbent. The physisorption process typically
involves van der Waals forces, which are relatively weak.

2. Chemisorbed Layer
In chemisorption, in contrast to physisorption, there is an actual sharing of electrons
or electron interchange between the chemisorbed species and the solid surface. In
chemisorption, the solid surface very strongly bonds to the adsorption species
through covalent bonds; it therefore requires a great deal of energy comparable to
those associated with chemical bond formation (10–100 kcal/mol) to remove the
adsorbed species, the energy being a function of the solid surface to which the
adsorbing species attaches itself and the character of the adsorbing species as well.
3. Chemically Reacted Layer
With the exception of some noble metals (such as gold and platinum), all
metals and alloys react with oxygen and form oxide layers in air; however, in
other environments, they are quite likely to form other layers (for example,
nitrides, sulfides, and chlorides).

Figure Schematic diagrams of physisorption, chemisorption, and a chemical reaction.

4. Deformed Layer
The metallurgical properties of the surface layer of a metal, alloy or a
ceramic can vary markedly from the bulk of the material as a result of the
forming process with which the material surface was prepared. For
example, in grinding, lapping, machining, or polishing, the surface layers
are plastically deformed with or without a temperature gradient and become
highly strained. Residual stresses may be released of sufficient magnitude
to affect dimensional stability. The strained layer is called the deformed (or
work hardened) layer and is an integral part of the material itself in the
surface region.

The amount of the deformed material present and the degree of deformation that
occurs are functions of two factors:

(1) the amount of work or energy that was put into the deformation process; and

(2) the nature of the material.

Properties of surface Engineering
Tribological performance governing the life of the
components subjected to wear is dictated by
 Physical

 Mechanical

 Chemical and

 Dimensional properties of the surface materials of the

engineering component
1. Physical Properties
 Thermal conductivity
 Thermal insulation
 Thermal expansion coefficient
 Refractoriness
 Density

2. Chemical properties
• Composition
• Chemical affinity
• Corrosion
• Oxidation
3. Mechanical properties
• Hardness
• Strength
• Ductility
• Fracture toughness
• Bond strength
• Residual Stress
• Stress corrosion cracking
• Hydrogen embrittlement
4. Dimensional properties
 Straightness
 Flatness
 Roundness
 Surface Roughness
 Area