Papers by Keyword: Expanded Austenite

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanical properties of the expanded austenite (S phase) formed in austenitic stainless steel (ASS). A small thin rolled plate of SUS304 with 0.5 mm thickness was used as test sample. The test sample was nitrided by active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) at low processing temperature of 400 °C and 450 °C during 4 hrs. processing time. S phase was formed on the surface of the test sample. The surface hardness of ASPN sample was higher than that of untreated sample. Furthermore, tensile tests and fracture surface observations revealed that the tensile strength was also improved compared to untreated samples.

Abstract: We study the effect of the grain refinement on the elemental composition and nanohardness of the surface layers in AISI 316L austenitic steel processed by ion-plasma hardening. Ion-plasma hardening of the samples with (1) grain-subgrain (with high dislocation density) and (2) coarse-grained structures causes a surface hardening and formation of the composite layers with a thickness of about 20 μm. The nanohardness and depth profiles of elemental concentration of nitrogen, carbon and oxygen in the ion-plasma hardened layers depends on pretreatment regime of the steel specimens. Cold rolling causes an increase in the grain and subgrain boundaries fraction and dislocation density in steel specimens, provides more intensive accumulation of interstitial atoms in thin surface 5 μm-layer, leads to additional surface hardening and suppress carbon diffusion into depth of the specimens as compared with coarse-grained structure.

Abstract: In this work we show our result of in-situ nitrocarburizing and nitriding treatments AISI316L specimens. Part of the samples have been depassivated ex-situ and coated with a Ni layer, while other specimens received in-situ depassivation. Processing was carried out in a custom built reaction chamber attached to a Bruker D8 Advance diffractometer. We monitored the 111 peak of both the base material and expanded austenite. From the shrinkage of the base material peak the total thickness of the expanded austenite can be determined. Applying both N and C resulted in a more than 10 times faster growth of the expanded austenite than with N only. The growth is thermally activated. The activation energy for nitrocarburizing is 164 kJ/mol. This is in agreement with the activation energy of the diffusion of interstitials. Detailed analysis of the expanded austenite peak allowed the derivation of a “master curve” for the composition depth profile. This suggest that two interacting process controls the evolution. The width of the reaction zone is limited by the diffusion at low concentration side. The total concentration is determined by the reaction at the interface.

Abstract: This works presents new approach to model formation of expanded austenite (S-phase) during nitriding in plasma conditions. Diffusion saturation of the substrate (iron or austenite steel) is treated as interdiffusion of nitrogen and iron that involves stresses and plastic deformation and is based on the Darken scheme. It is argued that S-phase growing at nitriding behaves as elasto-viscous Maxwell solid. During the process, in the nitride zone, the dynamic pressure appears, which is related to Darken drift and depends on metal viscosity. Basic equations are formulated and discussed. The formula for drift is derived. Exemplary results, i.e. concentration profiles, dynamic pressure and dilatation of the sample during the process, are presented. Concentration profiles confirm existence of characteristic plateau like zone in the surface adjacent zone.

Abstract: Low-temperature nitriding of austenitic stainless steels or chromium containing alloys can produce expanded austenite, known as S-phase, with combined improvement in wear and corrosion resistance. In the paper a critical review of various models for nitrogen diffusion during nitriding is presented. A special attention is paid to the expanded austenite growth. A new model based on bi-velocity method and including stresses is presented. Basic equations and boundary conditions are discussed. Composition dependent nitrogen diffusion coefficient is assumed. Numerical solutions are obtained for the growth of the S-phase layer in steel. The results are compared with previous experiment and calculations.

Abstract: The present work deals with the evaluation of the residual-stress profile in expanded-austenite by successive removal steps using GI-XRD. Preliminary results indicate stresses of several GPa's from 111 and 200 diffraction lines. These stresses appear largest for the 200 reflection. The strain-free lattice parameter decayed smoothly with depth, while for the compressive stress a maximum value is observed at some depth below the surface. Additionally a good agreement was found between the nitrogen profile determined with GDOES analysis and the strain-free lattice parameter from XRD.

Abstract: Surface modification on 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) was performed by low temperature thermochemical hybrid (nitrocarburizing) heat treatment at temperature of 450° C and at holding time of 30 hours. During the process, carbon and nitrogen elements were simultaneously introduced onto the surface of DSS with composition of 5%CH₄ + 25% NH₃ + 70% N₂. Microstructural observations reveal the formation of thick diffusional hybrid layer on the surface of 2205 DSS with very high hardness at cross sectional area. Both carbon and nitrogen diffusions formed expanded austenite (γ_N/C) and expanded ferrite (α_C), however precipitation of nitride (Cr₂N) which also occurred at the layer may deteriorate the corrosion resistance of 2205 DSS. Further investigation is required based on the parameters used in the process to produced precipitation free hybrid layer.

Abstract: An approach has been made in developing hybrid heat treatment process for improvement of surface properties of duplex stainless steel (DSS). The process was performed using horizontal tube furnace at temperature of 450° C at holding time of 4, 8, 16 and 30 hours. Carbon and nitrogen elements were simultaneously introduced onto the surface of DSS with a ratio of 5% CH₄ + 25% NH₃ + 70% N₂. The microstructure, phase analysis, surface hardness and hardness profile were systematically assessed. Hybrid heat treatment process managed to produce diffusional layer, where longer holding time had increased the thickness of the layer and improved the surface hardness. Expanded austenite phase has been formed at specimens 8, 16 and 30 hours. Longer holding time however gradually diffused Cr₂N at the ferrite grains at the substrates. From the process, it can be concluded that low temperature hybrid heat treatment be able to improve the surface hardness of DSS however concern on holding time must be highly considered.

Abstract: The fine grains and strain-induced martensite were fabricated in the surface layer of AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel by shot peening treatment. The shot peening effects on the microstructure evolution and nitrogen diffusion kinetics in the plasma nitriding process were investigated by optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that when nitriding treatments carried out at 450°C for times ranging from 0 to 36h, the strain-induced martensite transformed to supersaturated nitrogen solid solution (expanded austenite), and slip bands and grain boundaries induced by shot peening in the surface layer lowered the activation energy for nitrogen diffusion and evidently enhanced the nitriding efficiency of austenitic stainless steel.

Abstract: This paper describes the results of gaseous thermochemical treatment of nitriding duplex stainless steel using tube furnace. The nitriding was performed in temperature range between 400°C and 500°C for 6 hours, forming a dual layer structure with hard nitrogen layer. The nitriding gas composition used for this process is 50% NH4 + 50% N2 and 25% NH4 + 75% N2. The structural development was characterised using hardness tester, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Based on the experimental results, it was found that nitrided layer produced maximum thickness nitrided layer about 13.96µm and hardness 666.3 HV0.025 at 450°C with 50% NH4. The formation of expanded austenite was observed in temperature range between 400°C and 500°C. However, the cromium nitride has been developed at temperature 500°C which decreased the corrosion properties of duplex stainless steel.