Graded Nitrogen Ingress in FCC Metallic Structures and the Related Microstructures and High Temperature Oxidation Behaviour

Abstract

Nitriding by low energy high flux processing has been carried out at about 400°C in fcc metal substrates (pure Ni, Ni-20Cr model alloy and a conventional AISI 304L stainless steel). The gradual ingress of this element into the structures will be shown to depend markedly on the chemical composition of the substrate. The associated expansion of the fcc lattices and surface roughness will be discussed in this work with the support of X-ray diffraction, atomic force, scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. In light of the resulting composition, microstructures and thickness of nitrided layers, some preliminary results of their behaviour under isothermal oxidation conditions at high temperatures will be discussed. The high temperatures will provoke decomposition of the expanded austenite into a conventional gamma phase and some chromium nitrides. Trapping of chromium therefore shall explain a reduction of the high temperature oxidation resistance against the untreated substrates.