Abstract
This chapter presents an analytical review of literature sources devoted to research on the rapid heating of steels using various heat sources; in particular, on plasma surface hardening of materials. The results of studying the effect of a hardened surface layer during plasma hardening in the cathodic mode on the mechanical and tribological characteristics of grade two wheel steel are presented. Based on the experimental data obtained, a method for electrolytic-plasma surface hardening of wheel steel was developed and the optimal mode was determined. A description of the phase composition and morphology of grade two steel in the initial state and after electrolytic-plasma surface hardening is given. These descriptions are accompanied by images obtained by transmission electron microscopy. The authors present bright-field images and microdiffraction patterns obtained from these areas, as well as their dark-field patterns.