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Pulsed plasma ion carburizing in combination with high pressure gas quenching of medium alloy carburizing steels: A review of the metallurgical results

Book ·
OSTI ID:389730
 [1]
  1. SECO/WARWICK Corp., Meadville, PA (United States)

Plasma technology was developed along with low temperature nitriding, where it remained until the mid 1960`s. Work then began to develop a commercially viable plasma carburizing system. It was during the 1980`s that plasma carburizing began its entry into modern process technology. Pulsed plasma technology has now been married with high pressure gas quenching systems (up to 20 bar) using gaseous quenching mixtures of helium and nitrogen to complete the transformation to martensite on medium alloy steels. The technology is based upon the control of active ionized soluble carbon formed directly from either methane or metallurgical grade propane as opposed to the dissociative surface reactions found in the gas carburizing process. Further, advantage is taken of the limit of solubility in austenite of carbon (at approximately 1.5% wt carbon) at temperatures in the region of 1,950 F (1,065 C).

OSTI ID:
389730
Report Number(s):
CONF-951222--; ISBN 0-87170-561-3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English