# US 5,704,994 A · Method of case-hardening shaped object > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,994 A - Document ID: US5704994A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/549,187 - Filed: 1995-10-27 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1994-10-27 - Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Mitsuo Kuwabara; Mitsuhiro Funaki; Kazuhito Hiraga; Tetsuya Ohishi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704994A ## CPC - C23C 26/00: Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00 - C23C 8/02: Pretreatment of the material to be coated (C23C8/04 takes precedence) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A shaped object with a roughened surface is immersed in an aqueous solution of a metal salt and/or a solution of an organic metal. After the shaped object is dried, it is heated to form a metal-diffused layer in the shaped object and a ceramic surface layer on the shaped object. The ceramic surface layer has a large hardness, and is prevented from peeling off. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of case-hardening a shaped object, comprising the steps of: etching a shaped object to produce a roughened surface on the shaped object; then, immersing the shaped object in an aqueous solution of a metal salt of at least one of vanadium belonging to the VA group of the periodic table, chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table, manganese belonging to the VIIA group of the periodic table, and nickel and cobalt belonging to the VIII group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof, or a solution of an organic salt and a metal of at least one of aluminum, yttrium, and lanthanum belonging to the III group of the periodic table, titanium, zirconium, silicon, and hafnium belonging to the IV group of the periodic table, vanadium, tantalum, and niobium belonging to the VA group of the periodic table, and chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof; drying the shaped object; and thereafter, heating the shaped object to thereby produce a ceramic layer by nitriding, carburizing, carbonitriding or oxidizing on the surface of the shaped object and a metal-diffused layer in the shaped objected formed inwardly of said ceramic layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said metal salt comprises a nitrate, an acetate, or a chloride. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said organic salt comprises an ethoxide, a propoxide, a butoxide, an imide, or an amide. ### Claim 4 A method of case-hardening a shaped object, comprising the steps of: etching a shaped object to produce a roughened surface on the shaped object; then immersing the shaped object in an aqueous solution of a metal salt of at least one of vanadium belonging to the VA group of the periodic table, chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table, manganese belonging to the VIIA group of the periodic table, and nickel and cobalt belonging to the VIII group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof, and a solution of an organic salt and a metal of at least one of aluminum, yttrium, and lanthanum belonging to the III group of the periodic table, titanium, zirconium, silicon and hafnium belonging to the IV group of the periodic table, vanadium, tantalum, and niobium belonging to the VA group of the periodic table, and chromium, molybdenum and tungsten belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof; drying the shaped object; and thereafter, heating the shaped object to thereby produce a ceramic layer by nitriding, carburizing, carbonitriding or oxidizing on the surface of the shaped object and a metal-diffused layer in the shaped object formed inwardly of said ceramic layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4, wherein said metal salt comprises a nitrate, an acetate, or a chloride. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4, wherein said organic salt comprises an ethoxide, a propoxide, a butoxide, an imide, or an amide. ### Claim 7 A method of case-hardening a shaped object, comprising the steps of: cleaning tip of carbide or cermet on a shaped object with an alkaline solution; etching the tip with acid to produce a roughened surface on the tip; then, immersing the tip in an aqueous solution of a metal salt of at least one of chromium and tungsten belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table, manganese belonging to the VIIA group of the periodic table, and iron, nickel and cobalt belonging to the VIII group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof, or a solution of an organic salt and a metal of at least one of aluminum belonging to the III group of the periodic table, titanium and zirconium belonging to the IV group of the periodic table, vanadium belonging to the VA group of the periodic table, and chromium belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof; drying the shaped object; and thereafter, heating the shaped object to cause a diffusion reaction and thereby produce a ceramic layer by nitriding, carburizing, carbonitriding or oxidizing on the surface of the shaped object and a metal-diffused layer in the shaped object formed inwardly of said ceramic layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein said metal salt comprises a nitrate, an acetate, or a chloride. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein said organic salt comprises an ethoxide, a propoxide, a butoxide, an imide, or an amide. ### Claim 10 A method of case-hardening a shaped object, comprising the steps of: cleaning a tip of carbide or cermet on a shaped object with an alkaline solution; etching the tip with an acid to produce a roughened surface on the tip; then, immersing the tip in an aqueous solution of a metal salt of at least one of chromium and tungsten belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table, manganese belonging to the VIIA group of the periodic table, and iron, nickel and cobalt belonging to the VIII group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof, and a solution of an organic salt and a metal of at least one of aluminum belonging to the III group of the periodic table, titanium and zirconium belonging to the IV group of the periodic table, vanadium belonging to the VA group of the periodic table, and chromium belonging to the VIA group of the periodic table or at least one of the compounds thereof; drying the shaped object; and thereafter, heating the shaped object to cause a diffusion reaction and thereby produce a ceramic layer by nitriding, carburizing, carbonitriding or oxidizing on the surface of the shaped object and a metal-diffused layer in the shaped object formed inwardly of said ceramic layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10, wherein said metal salt comprises a nitrate, an acetate, or a chloride. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10, wherein said organic salt comprises an ethoxide, a propoxide, a butoxide, an imide, or an amide.