This paper deals with the effect of boron paste thickness on the study of the monolayer growth kinetics of Fe2B phase forming on AISI 1045 steel by the paste-boriding process. A mathematical diffusion model based on the Fick's phenomenological equations was applied in order to estimate the growth rate constant at (Fe2B/gamma-Fe) interface, the layer thickness of iron boride as well as the associated mass gain depending on the boriding parameters such as time, temperature and surface boron concentration related to the boron paste thickness. The simulation results are found to be in a fairly good agreement with the experimental data derived from the literature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.