Method for Strengthening Metal Articles and Parts

Abstract

The present invention allows enhancing durability and wear resistance of metal articles used in various constructions with high-strength requirements. The inventive method comprises applying a strengthening layer made of material exhibiting heavy-fermion properties in the form of a cerium heavy-fermion compound. Such compound has a covalence degree in the atom chemical bond ranging from 0.3 to 0.7, and energy bands gap of 0<ΔE<3 eV. Particularly, the compounds include cerium with at least one element of IIIA-VIA groups of the Periodical System, and/or at least one transition metal provided with a filled or close to be filled d-shell. A layer of crystalline material, that readily becomes amorphous, is optionally applied over the strengthening layer for its protection. The invention enables strengthening metal articles exposed to critical mechanical and thermal loads in 10 and more times and enables operating the articles under conditions that otherwise would cause breaking of the articles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.