It was noted that, in hardness measurements, the indentation depth was about 10% of the effective depth under static loading. A change in the wear mechanism was observed under lateral loading conditions in oscillating ball-on-disc tests of nitrided austenitic stainless steel with an expanded austenite surface layer. It went from abrasive, to sub-surface plastic flow with redistribution of the inserted N. This led to an effective nitriding depth which was some 3 to 5 times greater than the actual nitrided zone.

Interplay of Cold Working and Nitrogen Diffusion in Austenitic Stainless Steel. D.Manova, I.M.Eichentopf, S.Heinrich, S.Mändl, E.Richter, H.Neumann, B.Rauschenbach: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 2007, 257[1-2], 442-6

 

Table 8

Interdiffusion Coefficients in the Fe-Cr-Mo System

 

Temperature (K)

Cross-Point Composition

Coefficient

Value (m2/s)

1523

Fe-4.5Cr-7.1Mo

DCrCrFe

2.0 x 10-12

1523

Fe-4.5Cr-7.1Mo

DCrMoFe

-9.5 x 10-14

1523

Fe-4.5Cr-7.1Mo

DMoMoFe

2.0 x 10-12

1523

Fe-4.5Cr-7.1Mo

DMoCrFe

-3.7 x 10-14

1523

Fe-11.8Cr-2.1Mo

DCrCrFe

1.5 x 10-12

1523

Fe-11.8Cr-2.1Mo

DCrMoFe

-5.9 x 10-13

1523

Fe-11.8Cr-2.1Mo

DMoMoFe

2.2 x 10-12

1523

Fe-11.8Cr-2.1Mo

DMoCrFe

9.4 x 10-14

1498

Fe-13.4Cr-1.7Mo

DCrCrFe

1.4 x 10-12

1498

Fe-13.4Cr-1.7Mo

DCrMoFe

-3.7 x 10-14

1498

Fe-13.4Cr-1.7Mo

DMoMoFe

1.4 x 10-12

1498

Fe-13.4Cr-1.7Mo

DMoCrFe

-4.2 x 10-14