Microstructure and properties of 17-4PH steel plasma nitrocarburized with a carrier gas containing rare earth elements
- National Key Laboratory for Precision Hot Processing of Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)
- College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin150001 (China)
The effect of rare earth addition in the carrier gas on plasma nitrocarburizing of 17-4PH steel was studied. The microstructure and crystallographically of the phases in the surface layer as well as surface morphology of the nitrocarburized specimens were characterized by optical microscope, X-ray diffraction and scanning tunneling microscope, respectively. The hardness of the surface layer was measured by using a Vickers hardness test. The results show that the incorporation of rare earth elements in the carrier gas can increase the nitrocarburized layer thickness up to 55%, change the phase proportion in the nitrocarburized layer, refine the nitrides in surface layer, and increase the layer hardness above 100HV. The higher surface hardening effect after rare earth addition is caused by improvement in microstructure and change in the phase proportion of the nitrocarburized layer.
- OSTI ID:
- 22066167
- Journal Information:
- Materials Characterization, Vol. 61, Issue 1; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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