Plasma Post Oxidation of Nitrocarburized S45C Steel

Abstract:

Plasma nitrocarburizing and plasma oxidizing treatments were performed to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of S45C steel. Plasma nitrocarburizing was conducted for 3h at 570°C in the nitrogen, hydrogen and methane atmosphere to produce the ε-Fe2-3(N,C) phase. It was found that the compound layer produced by plasma nitrocarburising was predominantly composed of ε-phase, with a small proportion of γ′- Fe4(N,C) phase. The thickness of the compound layer was about 10 –15 μm and the diffusion layer was about 300 μm in thickness, respectively. Plasma post oxidation was performed on the nitrocarburized samples with various oxygen / hydrogen ratio at constant temperature of 500°C for 1 hour. The very thin magnetite (Fe3O4) layer 1-2 μm in thickness on top of the compound layer was obtained by plasma post oxidation. It was confirmed that the corrosion characteristics of the nitrocarburized compound layer could be further improved by the application of the superficial magnetite layer.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 118)
• Pages: 103-108
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.118.103
• Online since: December 2006
• Authors: Insup Lee
• Keywords: Fe₃O₄, Plasma Nitrocarburizing, Post Oxidation, γ'-fe₄(n,c), ε-fe_2-3(n,c)

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