Fatigue Strength of Chromium-Plated Steel

In this research, fatigue strength of pyrolytic chromium-plated steel was studied. Depending on operating temperatures of pyrolytic chromium-plating process on the surface of steel specimens chromium coatings with homogeneous, horizontal-layered and columnar (dendritic) structures were formed. The speed of formation chromium coatings during pyrolytic chromium-plating process was 5 μm/min – 6 μm/min. The microhardness of formed chromium coatings was 10000 MPa – 20000 MPa. Rotating bending fatigue test results have shown that after pyrolytic chromium-plating the fatigue strength of steel can be improved as well as considerably worsened. It was determined, that chromium coatings having three different microstructures had different resistant to cyclic load. The chromium coatings with homogeneous or horizontal-layered structures are suitable for increasing of fatigue strength of investigated material