1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a surface treatment method for a metal material, and a mold that is treated by the surface treatment method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the formation of a carbon film on a surface of a metal material and a mold that has a cavity surface with a carbon film formed thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
A specific treatment (surface treatment) is sometimes performed on a surface of a mold (in particular, casting mold or forging mold) for such purposes as preventing seizure. As one method, a surface treatment method in which a nitrided layer is formed in a superficial layer of a metal material (mold) and a carbon film is formed on the nitrided layer has been developed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-36194 (JP 2010-36194 A) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-105082 (JP 2008-105082 A). In the method that is disclosed in JP 2010-36194 A and JP 2008-105082 A, a nanocarbon film formation process in which the mold is subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of acetylene gas and hydrogen sulfide gas in a nitriding atmosphere is carried out. The term “nanocarbon film” refers to a carbon film which contains at least one nanocarbon material that is selected from the group that consists of carbon nanocoils, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofilaments. A nitrided layer is formed in the vicinity of the surface (in a superficial layer) of the mold and a nanocarbon film is formed on the nitrided layer by a nanocarbon film formation process. Here, a compound layer is formed between the nitrided layer and the nanocarbon film. The term “nitrided layer” refers to a layer that is formed when nitrogen penetrates inside a superficial layer of a mold that is made of an iron or an alloy which contains iron.
It is believed that, in the surface treatment method that is disclosed in JP 2010-36194 A and JP 2008-105082 A, the hydrogen sulfide gas reacts with iron (Fe) that is contained in the metal material to form an Fe—S compound and a nanocarbon film is formed on a surface of the metal material by the catalytic action of the Fe—S compound. When hydrogen sulfide gas is contained in the reaction gas, a nanocarbon film is formed on a surface of the metal material. However, a reaction system that uses hydrogen sulfide gas requires high equipment and production costs.
The present invention provides a technique to form a nanocarbon film on a surface of a metal material using diluted sulfuric acid instead of hydrogen sulfide gas. A first aspect of the present invention includes applying diluted sulfuric acid to a surface of a metal material that is composed primarily of iron, performing a heat treatment on the metal material in the presence of at least one of CO, CO2 and organic gas under nitriding conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed in a superficial layer of the metal material after the application of the diluted sulfuric acid to form a carbon film that includes at least one of carbon nanocoils, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofilaments on a surface of the nitrided layer of the metal material.
The Fe that is included in the metal material reacts with the diluted sulfuric acid to form a Fe sulfate which induces the formation of a nanocarbon film on the surface of the metal material. The reaction gas does not have to include hydrogen sulfide gas. Because diluted sulfuric acid is easier to handle than hydrogen sulfide gas, equipment and production costs can be reduced.
To perform a heat treatment on the metal material under conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed includes to perform a heat treatment on the metal material in a nitriding gas atmosphere that includes ammonia gas, nitrogen gas or urea, for example. The metal material may be subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of a nitriding component other than a gas. In other words, to perform a heat treatment on the metal material under conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed may be regarded as “heating the metal material in the presence of a nitrogen-including substance in the form of a gas or liquid until a nitrided layer is formed in the surface of the metal material.” As the organic gas, any well-known organic gas from which a nanocarbon film can be formed on a surface of a metal material by performing a heat treatment in a nitriding atmosphere can be used. Suitable examples of the organic gas include gases of hydrocarbons which have a carbon number of approximately 1 to 4 (such as acetylene gas, ethylene gas, propane gas, butane gas and methane gas) and a mixture thereof (such as natural gas), and the use of acetylene gas is especially preferred.
The nitrided layer may be formed in the superficial layer of the metal material in an ammonia gas atmosphere.
Stress may be applied to the superficial layer of the metal material before the application of diluted sulfuric acid to the surface of the metal material. In addition, fullerene may be applied to a surface of the carbon film formed. The metal material may be sintered after the application of fullerene to a surface of the carbon film.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a mold that has a cavity surface on which a carbon film is formed by the surface treatment method.
According to the present invention, a nanocarbon film can be formed on a surface of a metal material without the use of hydrogen sulfide gas. Thus the equipment and production cost necessary to form a nanocarbon film on a surface of a metal material can be reduced.
Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
An embodiment of the present invention provides a surface treatment method of a metal material that is composed primarily of iron (Fe). The surface treatment method includes a first step and a second step. In the first step, diluted sulfuric acid is applied to a surface of a metal material that is composed primarily of iron (Fe). The first step is followed by the second step. In the second step, the metal material is subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of at least one that is selected from the group that consists of CO, CO2 and organic gas under nitriding conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed in the superficial layer of the metal material to form a carbon film (nanocarbon film) which contains at least one nanocarbon material that is selected from the group that consists of carbon nanocoils, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofilaments on a surface of the nitrided layer of the metal material.
The method for applying diluted sulfuric acid to a surface of the metal material in the first step is not specifically limited. The diluted sulfuric acid may be applied with a cloth or brush, or the metal material may be immersed in diluted sulfuric acid. After the application of diluted sulfuric acid, the metal material may be dried by any method, such as natural drying or drying by heating, to remove water on the surface of the metal material. The concentration of the diluted sulfuric acid is equal to or higher than 0.01 mol/L and equal to of lower than 20 mol/L, preferably equal to or higher than 1.0 mol/L and equal to or lower than 5.0 mol/L, and more preferably equal to or higher than 0.3 mol/L and equal to or lower than 0.6 mol/L.
When diluted sulfuric acid is applied, Fe as a primary component of the metal material reacts with the diluted sulfuric acid to form an Fe sulfate and hydrogen as represented by formula (1) or (2). The Fe sulfate (FeSO4, Fe2(SO4)3) that is formed as a result of the reaction serves as a catalyst in the reaction that forms a nanocarbon film and promotes the nanocarbon film forming reaction in the second step.
Fe+H2SO4→FeSO4+H2↑ (1)
2Fe+3H2SO4→Fe2(SO4)3+3H2↑ (2)
On the other hand, in the reaction system in the embodiment, H2S is formed when the reactions that are represented by formulae (3) and (4) below occur. Because the reaction represented by formula (4) does not occur unless FeS is formed, the reaction that forms H2S gas (the reaction represented by formula (4)) hardly occurs. Because H2S gas is hardly formed when diluted sulfuric acid is applied, the equipment and production costs can be reduced.
Fe+S→FeS (3)
FeS+H2SO4→FeSO4+H2↑ (4)
In the second step, the metal material is subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of at least one that is selected from the group that consists of CO, CO2 and organic gas under conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed in a superficial layer of the metal material (which is hereinafter referred to as “nitriding conditions”). As a result, nitrogen penetrates a region near the surface of the metal material (superficial layer) and the original metal material is nitrided to form a nitrided layer, and a nanocarbon film is formed on a surface of the nitrided layer. One preferred example in which the metal material is subjected to a heat treatment under conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed is to perform a heat treatment on the metal material in a nitriding gas atmosphere that contains ammonia gas, nitrogen gas or urea as described above. As the organic gas, any well-known organic gas from which a nanocarbon film can be formed on a surface of a metal material by performing a heat treatment in a nitriding atmosphere can be used. One suitable example of the organic gas is a hydrocarbon gas, such as acetylene gas, as described above.
The surface treatment method according to the embodiment may include steps other than the first and second steps. For example, the second step may be followed by a fullerene applying step in which fullerene is applied to a surface of the nanocarbon film that has been formed in the second step. The term “fullerene” refers to a carbon cluster that has a closed-shell structure and usually has an even carbon number between 60 and 130. Specific examples include C60, C70, C76, C78, C80, C82, C84, C86, C88, C90, C92, C94, C96 and higher-order carbon clusters. The term “fullerene” as used herein is intended to include, in addition to the above substances, fullerene derivatives that are obtained by chemically modifying fullerene molecules with other molecules or functional groups. The fullerene applying step can be carried out by a method that is disclosed in JP 2010-36194 A, for example.
In addition, the fullerene applying step may be followed by a sintering step in which the metal material with a carbon film formed thereon is sintered, for example. When a sintering step is carried out, the fullerene becomes amorphous and forms metallic bonds with the nanocarbon film. Therefore, the carbon film is densified and strengthened, resulting in improved durability of the carbon film. In the sintering step, the metal material is preferably heated to a temperature of 400° C. or higher.
In addition, a stress imparting step in which stress is imparted to a superficial layer of the metal material may be included before the first step, for example. More specifically, a step in which shot blasting is performed on the surface of the metal material to form a residually-stressed layer which has crystal defects or crystal strain to a predetermined depth from the superficial layer in the metal material, for example. In addition, shot blasting makes the surface stress of the treatment surface uniform and imparts residual compressive stress to the treatment surface, thereby making effects of removing a superficial layer or extraneous matters from the treatment surface and/or improving the durability of the treatment surface. For example, the roughness of the surface to be treated can be adjusted by adjusting the shot-blasting conditions.
The blasting method for use in the shot blasting includes, but not be limited to, mechanical, pneumatic and wet blasting methods, for example. Examples of the abrasive material, include metal and ceramic blasting materials. The use of a blasting material of the same material as the mold to be treated is preferred but not limited to. The state of the surface to be treated can be adjusted by adjusting the size and material of the blasting material and the pressure during shot blasting (the pressure at which blasting material is blasted). For example, the roughness of the surface to be treated can be adjusted to a desired level.
According to this embodiment, a metal material that is provided with a carbon film which contains a nanocarbon material can be produced. In this embodiment, the nanocarbon film is formed on a surface of a metal material that is composed primarily of iron (Fe) by performing a heat treatment on the metal material in the presence of at least one that is selected from the group that consists of CO, CO2 and organic gas under nitriding conditions under which a nitrided layer is formed in a superficial layer of the metal material after applying diluted sulfuric acid on the surface of the metal material. The metal material may be a mold, in which case the carbon film is preferably formed at least on a cavity surface of the mold.
In this example, a test piece 1, which is made of hot-die steel SKD61 (JIS standard) as schematically shown in
(Shot blasting step) In this example, shot blasting was performed as a stress imparting step prior to the first step. Shot blasting was performed on the test piece 1 with its left half covered with a masking tape, and then the masking tape was removed. As a result, an untreated surface 11 and a treated surface 12 were formed on the top surface of the test piece 1.
The shot blasting was carried out by blasting steel grit with a diameter of 0.075 mm to 0.300 mm at a shot blasting pressure (air pressure) of 0.5 MPa onto the surface of the metal material for 30 seconds using a self-weight type nozzle blasting apparatus. The surface roughness Ra of the treated surface 12 after the shot blasting was within 1.5±0.4 μm.
(First step) Using a cloth that was impregnated with 3 mol/L of diluted sulfuric acid, 3 mol/L of diluted sulfuric acid was applied to the surface of the test piece, and the test piece was dried naturally.
(Second step) In the second step, the test piece 1 was placed in a heat treatment furnace 2 that is shown in
A test piece which was identical with the test piece 1 was prepared and the same steps as those in Example were followed except that the first step was not carried out.
A test piece which was identical with the test piece 1 was prepared and the same steps as those in Example were followed except that 6 mol/L of hydrochloric acid (HCl), instead of diluted sulfuric acid, was applied to the test piece in the first step.
A test piece which was identical with the test piece 1 was prepared and the same steps as those in Example were followed except that 6 mol/L of nitric acid (HNO3), instead of diluted sulfuric acid, was applied to the test piece in the first step.
(Observation under SEM and TEM, and EDS analysis) After treating the test pieces 1 according to the procedure of Example and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, an observation region 10 on the test piece 1 that is shown in
First, Example is compared with Comparative Examples 1 to 3 to consider the effects of the first step.
Next, Example is compared with Comparative Examples 2 and 3 to consider the type of the acid that is applied to the test piece.
The carbon film that was formed in Example was observed under a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results are shown in
In addition, TEM observation and EDS analysis were performed on the carbon film of Example using the transmission electron microscope JEM-2100. The analysis was performed on two regions, and
An EDS analysis was performed on the surface of the test piece 1 of Example in the same manner as described in connection with
The mechanism by which the presence of a Fe sulfate 52, such as FeSO4, promotes the growth of nanocarbons is presumed as follows. As shown in
While the examples of the present invention have been described in detail, the examples are shown only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention includes various alterations and modifications of the specific examples that are shown above.
The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility when used alone or in various combinations. The technique illustrated in this specification or the drawings can achieve a plurality of objects at the same time, and the technical utility can be provided by achieving one of the objects.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-101602 | Apr 2011 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB12/00845 | 4/12/2012 | WO | 00 | 10/25/2013 |