• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.87-93
• /
• 2004

Nitrocarburizing was carried out with various $CH_4$ gas composition with 4 torr gas pressure at $570^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours and post oxidation was carried out with 100% $O_2$ gas atmosphere with 4 torr at different temperatures for various time. In the case of plasma nitrocarburizing, It is that the ratio of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(N, C) and ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(C, N), which comprise the compound layer phase, depend on concentrations of $N_2$ gas and $CH_4$ such that when the concentration of $N_2$ and $CH_4$ increased, the ratio of ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(C, N) decreased, but the ratio of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(N, C) increased. The thickness of compound layer consistently increased as gas concentration increased regardless of $N_2$ and $CH_4$ expect when the concentration of $CH_4$ was 3.5 volume%, it decreased insignificantly. When oxidizing for 15min in the temperature range of $460{\sim}570{^\circ}C$, the study found small amount of $Fe_3O_4$ at the temperature of $460{^\circ}C$ and also found that amounts of $Fe_2O_3$. and $Fe_3O_4$ on the surface and amount of ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(C, N) in the compound layer increased as the increased over $460^{\circ}C$, but the thickness of the compound layer decreased. Corrosion resistance was influenced by oxidation times and temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.9-20
• /
• 1999

The effect of post oxidation, water-quenched after holding in air for 5~420 seconds or cooling or furnace cooling, on corrosion resistance and phase formation characteristics of the surface layer of SM20C and SM45C carbon steels after gas nirtrocarbursing in the $NH_3-5%CO_2-N_2$ gas atmosphere at $580^{\circ}C$ for 3hours is studied. The compound layers of two steels consist of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$, ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ and $Fe_3O_4$, phases, however, the quantity of ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ phase increases for the furnace cooled specimen compared to that of air cooling specimen. With increasing $NH_3$ content in the gas mixture and also increasing the keeping time in the air after gas nitrocarburising, the ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phase of compound layer increases, while the decreased current density recognizing the improvement of corrosion resistance are shown. the passive current density of SM45C steel is lower than that of SM20C steel at the same nitrocarburising conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.117-128
• /
• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the surface characteristics of SCM440 steel nitrided with various nitrogen contents for 7 hours at $520^{\circ}C$ by using micro-pulse plasma nitriding apparatus of hot wall type. The effects of oxidation treatment was also investigated on plasma nitrided in 30% nitrogen and post oxidized SCM440 steel at $500^{\circ}C$ in $H_2O$ atmosphere. The ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ and ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phases were detected in compound layer of the nitrided steel. As the content of nitrogen in plasma gas increased with 30, 50, 70% on the micro-pulse plasma nitriding for SCM440 steel, the thickness of compound, diffusion layer and the surface hardness were increased. From the wear test results, the best wear resistance was appeared in the condition of ductile ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ phase formed specimen at 30% nitrogen, whereas that of the treated with 50% and 70% nitrogen decreased owing to the exfoliation of brittle ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phase in the compound layer. On the nitrided and subsequently oxidized SCM440 steel, the surface layer consisted of $Fe_3O_4$, ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$, and ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phases. In these treatments, the dissolution of nitrides affect hardness and hardening depth in compound and diffusion layers. For the nitrided in 30% nitrogen and post oxidized specimen at $500^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, the wear resistance was lower than that of the only nitrided one in 30% nitrogen but higher than those of the nitrided ones in 50 and 70% nitrogen.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.289-301
• /
• 1995

The effect of Air/$C_3H_8$ gas addition on the compound layer growth of steels nitrocarburised in $NH_3+Air+C_3H_8$ mixed gas atmospheres was investigated. It is considered that amount of residual $NH_3$ was varied according to alternation of Air/$C_3H_8$ mixing ratio and volume content. The compound layer formed from nitrocarburising was composed of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(C, N) and ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(C, N). According as Air/$C_3H_8$ mixing ratio increased, the superficial content of ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(C, N) within the compound layer was increased, at the same time the growth rate of compound layer and porous layer was increased. In the case of alloy steel at the fixed gas composition, the growth rate of compound layer and porous layer was worse than carbon steel and compound layer phase composition structure primarily consisted of E phase. As the carbon content of materials was increasing in the given gas atmospheres, the growth rate of compound layer and porous layer was increased and the superficial content of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(C, N) within the compound layer was increased.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.206-218
• /
• 1994

In 50%$NH_3+Air+N_2$ atmospheres, the effect of air additions on the growth characteristics of the compound layer during oxynitriding at $570^{\circ}C$ for 2hr in carbon and alloy steels has been investigated. The ammount of apparent residual ammonia during oxynitriding has shown to be increased with air additions(9~36 Vol. %) and X-ray diffraction analysis of case oxynitreded has shown that the compound layer consist of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(N, C) phase and ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(N,C) phase. In the case of carbon steels, the thickness of oxide layer, compound layer and porous layer and the amount of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(N,C) phase in the compound layer were increased with additions of air in 50%$NH_3+N_2$ atmospheres. At the same gas composition, the thickenss of oxide layer, compound layer and porous layer in alloy steels showed slightly thin layer thickness compared to those of carbon steels and the ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(N,C) phase in the compound layer of alloy steels was found barely. Therefore, the most obvious effect of air addition in the gas nitriding atmosphere has been found to in crease further kinetics of nitriding reaction.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.219-227
• /
• 2002

This study has been performed to investigate the effect of $CO_2$ content on the growth characteristics of the compound layer, porous layer and corrosion characteristics of carbon steels after gaseous nitrocarburizing in $70%-NH_3-CO_2-N_2$ at $580^{\circ}C$ for 2.5 hrs. The results obtained from the experiment were the thickness of the compound and porous layers increased with increasing $CO_2$ contents. At the same fixed gas composition the thickness of the compound and porous layer increased with increasing carbon content of the specimens. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that compound layer was mainly consisted of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}(N,C)$ and ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ as the increased with $CO_2$ contents in atmosphere, compound layer was chiefly consisted of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}(N,C)$ phase. With increasing $CO_2$ content and total flow rate in gaseous nitrocarburizing, the amount of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}(N,C)$ phase in the compound layer was increased. The current density of passivity decreased with increasing $CO_2$ content due to the development of porous layer at the out most surface of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}(N,C)$.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.279-288
• /
• 1995

To investigate the characteristics of nitrocarburizing for high carbon chromium bearing steel, it was undertaken 4 hours holding at $850^{\circ}C$ in the atmosphere containing 60% endothermic gas and 40% ammonia. The microstructure of nitrocarburized surface consists of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$, ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$, $Fe_3C$ and $Fe_3$(C,N), and the ${\varepsilon}$-nitride was rich in the surface-internal part. The nitrocarburized surface contains a larger volume fraction of primary carbonitrides and has more retained austenite and is slightly harder than the interior.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.305-314
• /
• 1998

This study has been performed to investigate into some effects of various amounts of $CO_2$ and CO gas added to the $50%NH_3-N_2$ based gas atmosphere on microstructure, hardness, chemical analysis and residual stress in the compound and diffusion layer of AISI H13 treated by gaseous nitrocarburising process. The compound layer formed in the surface is composed of mainly ${\varepsilon}-Fe_3$(N,C) and small amount of ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ and cementite. The maximum hardness value obtainable from H13 steel is shown to be 1200 Hv and the effecvtive hardening depth increases with increasing CO content from 1% to 4%. In the case of CO content over 4%, however, it decreases with increasing CO content. The composition profiles of nitrogen and carbon are found to be within the ${\varepsilon}$-phase field located above the ${\varepsilon}+{\gamma}^{\prime}$ phase field in the Fe-N-C diagram. It is shown that the maximum value of compressive residual stress of H13 steel treated in atmospheres of $50%NH_3-(2,4)%CO_2-N_2-CO$ gas mixture is $48kg/mm^2$ and the depth to which residual stress is in Compressive state is $90{\mu}m$ for the atmosphere $50%NH_3-45%N_2-4%CO_2-1%CO$ gas mixture. It is consequently important to control the maximum value and size of compressive residual stress region in order to obtain desirable mechanical properties.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.269-276
• /
• 2010

This study has been carried out to the low temperature plasma nitriding treatment on the mechanical properties of stainless steel at temperature range between $400^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$. It was found that there was precipitated to free CrN matrix below $400^{\circ}C$ and there was precipitated S-phase of STS 316L, ${\varepsilon}$-phase of STS 409L and ${\alpha}N$-phase of STS 420J2. STS 316L has formed relatively abundant CrN phase and ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ phase at $500^{\circ}C$, alternatively STS 409L and STS 420J2 were more deeply nitrided than STS 316L at $500^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.99-110
• /
• 1998

The effects of pre-heat treatment(Q/T) on microstructure and hardness of SCM435 structural steel nitrided by micro-pulse plasma was investigated. The quenching and tempering temperatures for obtaining matrix hardness of SCM435 steel on range of HRC30 to HRC40 desired for machine parts were about $860^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$ respectively. The case depth of SCM435 nitrided at $480^{\circ}C$ for 5 hours was independent of pre-heat treatment condition and was approximately $150{\mu}m$. However, hardness and compactness of nitrified layer on Q/T treated specimen were more heigher than annealed specimen. The case depth increased linearly with the increase of nitriding temperature, however, the hardness of nitrified layer decreased with the temperature. Phase mixture of ${\gamma}^{\prime}$-phase($Fe_4N$) and ${\varepsilon}$-phase($Fe_3N$) were detected by XRD analysis in the nitrified layer formed at optimum nitriding condition, and only single ${\gamma}^{\prime}$-phase was detected in the nitrified layer formed at higher nitriding temperature such as $540^{\circ}C$. The optimum nitriding temperature was approximately $480^{\circ}C$ which is lower than tempering temperature for preventing softening behavior of SCM435 matrix during nitriding process and the surface hardness of nitrified layer obtained by optimum preheat treatment condition was about Hv930.