Improving Surface Hardness of AISI H13 Steel by Pack Nitriding

Abstract:

This study investigated the effect of degree of availability (d.o.a) of nitrogen and time on increasing the surface hardness of AISI H13 steel using pack nitriding. Urea (46 % N) and ZA (21% N) were selected as a nitrogen source. In this study, hardening was carried out at a temperature of 1030°C then held for 3 hours and continued to quenching with 19 bar nitrogen. Nitriding process used the in-pack process by which the specimens were buried in the urea and ZA powder charged into a nitriding box. Pack nitriding was performed in a vacuum furnace at 600°C for 2, 4 and 6 hours. The surface of nitride-steels was characterized using microhardness tester, SEM/EDS and XRD. After nitriding process, the hardness of AISI H13 steels was increased up to 1648 HV, with the highest hardness achieved by nitriding process of 6 hours and 0.4 d.o.a, in urea media. The nitrogen was dissolved to the steel and induced precipitation of Fe₃N, Fe₂N, and αFe. From the calculation based on Arrhenius equation, the activation energy (Q) of 0.4 and 0.3 d.o.a were 1.381 kCal/mol and 1.455 kCal/mol, respectively.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 1057)
• Pages: 227-234
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-35cn8p
• Online since: March 2022
• Authors: Felisca Melin Dianes, Muhammad R. Ryan, Muhammad Rafli Supriadi, Reyza Halim, Yanuar Nugraha, Alfirano Alfirano*
• Keywords: AISI H13 Steel, D.O.A, Pack Nitriding, Surface Hardness, Urea, White Layer Thickness

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