Combined surface modification of commercial aluminum

The paper analyzes research data on the structure and properties of surface layers of commercially pure A7-grade aluminum subjected to treatment that combines deposition of a thin metal film, intense pulsed electron beam irradiation, and nitriding in low-pressure arc plasma. The analysis shows that the combined method of surface modification provides the formation of a multilayer structure with submicro- and nano-sized phases in the material through a depth of up to 40 μm, allowing a manifold increase in its surface microhardness and wear resistance (up to 4 and 9 times, respectively) compared to the material core. The main factors responsible for the high surface strength are the saturation of the aluminum lattice with nitrogen atoms and the formation of nano-sized particles of aluminum nitride and iron aluminides.