Resumen en español

The AISI 4140 steel is a low chrome/molybdenum alloyed steel with high tensile strength and good toughness, which is normally used for the manufacture of machine parts such as gears, crank shafts, camshafts, etc. However, its wear resistance is quite limited and this is usually improved by nitriding surface treatment. The purpose of this study was to increase the mechanical properties and wear resistance of 4140 steel by applying a DUPLEX surface treatment consisting of a liquid nitriding (known as Teniffer) followed by the deposition of a titanium nitride (TiN) hard coating. The crystalline microstructure was evaluated by Xray diffraction (XRD), morphology and elemental chemical composition was determined by microscopy SEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), tribological properties were tested using a tribometer type ballondisc and micro hardness was determined by the Vickers method.