Abstract
The effects of $H_2S$ gas ratio, temperature and time on the case depth, hardness, and sulfide and nitride formation on the surface of sulfnitrided SCM440 steel have been studied by micro-pulse plasma technique. The thickness of compound layer of sulfide and nitride increased with the increase of time, temperautre and $H_2S$ gas ratio. But surface hardness decreased with the increase of soft sulfide layer because the hard nitride layer formed beneath the sulfide. The thickness of sulfide layer was about 10$\mu\textrm{m}$ abpve 0.0088% of $H_2S$ gas. The highest surface hardness of the compound layer was Hv835 at $530^{\circ}C$, 1hr and 0.06% of $H_2S$ gas. X-ray diffraction indicated that the surface products were $Fe_{1_x}S$, $Fe_{2.5}N$ and $Fe_4N$. It was confirmed by EPMA that sulfide only existed in the surface.