Microstructure of tool steel after low temperature ion nitriding

Abstract

The microstructural development in H13 tool steel upon nitriding by an ion beam process was investigated. The nitriding experiments were performed at a relatively low temperature of about 400 ºC and at constant ion beam energy (400 eV) of different doses in a high-vacuum preparation chamber; the ion source was fed with high purity nitrogen gas. The specimens were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and grazing incidence and Bragg-Brentano X-ray diffractometry. In particular, the influence of the nitrogen surface concentration on the development of the nitrogen concentration-depth profile and the possible precipitation of alloying element nitrides were discussed.

Nanosized precipitates in H13 tool steel low temperature plasma nitriding

“…[40] Nevertheless, the diffractograms show that the broadening of the -Fe reflections is anisotropic with  (200) >  (211) >  (110) , where  is the diffraction line breadth (see Table I). The same trend for the -Fe line widths was encountered in [26]. The abnormal increase of line width associated with the (200) -Fe planes reflections suggests once again that nanosized coherent particles have precipitated within the steel matrix.…”

“…For instance, at 400°C, carbide dissolution in the diffusion zone is prevented. [26,27] Moreover, this temperature regime could be particularly interesting to avoid embrittlement, distortions or corrosion susceptibility which may result from excessive nitride precipitation at the higher temperatures normally used in the gaseous nitriding process. [28,29] The aim the present work is to determine the properties of thick (~50 m) nitrided layers prepared at relatively low temperatures (~400°C) in the attempt to understand how precipitation, nitrogen diffusion, phase transformation and hardening takes place in this process regime.…”

Thermodynamic Analysis of M₇C₃ Carbide Dissolution during Plasma Nitriding of an AISI D2 Tool Steel

“…( 23) who observed that, during plasma nitriding at 673 K, chromium carbides present initially in the matrix were not converted to CrN, most probably due to the lower nitriding temperature used in their experiments.…”

A Tracking Review on Non Arc Melting Processes for Improved Surface Properties in Metallic Materials

“…In some of these works, surface modification of specific materials is discussed in relation to a particular process. For instance, some literature (Aramide et al, 2009(Aramide et al, , 2010Oyetunji and Adeosun, 2012;Davis, 2002;Higgins, 1997;Ruchuan, 2005 andAtanda et al, 2009) discussed carburization of metals for improved surface properties whilst nitriding and carbonitriding were also reported by several researchers (Zagonel et al, 2009;Karwan-Baczewska et al, 2010;Biro, 2013;Sirin and Kalue, 2013;Yang, 2012;Yatiga and Ohki, 2010;Herring, 2011;Ayodeji et al, 2011;Campagna et al, 2011;Yilbas et al, 2011;Yashiv, 2008). Flame hardening, induction hardening, boronizing, galvanizing, aluminizing, electrophoresis, sputtering, ion implantation, chemical vapour deposition, physical vapour deposition, sol gel deposition, plasma treatment, laser treatment, weld overlay using low energy fusion melting techniques are equally widely reported in the literature (Lee et al, 2004(Lee et al, , 2006Heitkemper, 2003;Suzuki et al,2009;Brill and Schibisch, 2015;Gopalakrishnan et al,2002;Bejar and Moreno, 2006;Long et al, 2004;Angeli et al,1993;Wang and Chen, 2006;Maki et al, 2010;Wang, 2011,2012;Abdel Gawad et al, 2006;Wahab et al, 2013;Popoola and Fayomi, 2011;Amuda et al, 2010;Popoola et al, 2012;Besra and Liu, 2007;Choy, 2003;Mubarak et al, 2005;…”