Effect of Carbon Content on the Nitrogen Permeation Heat Treatment in Aluminum Bearing 13%Cr Stainless Steels

Al 함유 13%Cr 스테인리스강의 표면 질소침투 열처리에 미치는 첨가원소 탄소의 영향 (13%Cr 스테인리스강의 고질소 표면침투 열처리)

This study aims to investigate the effect of carbon content on the surface nitrogen permeation of 13%Cr-1.8%Al alloyed stainless steels. The surface nitrogen permeation was performed at $1050^{\circ}C{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$ in the $1kg/cm^2$ nitrogen gas atmosphere. The nitrogen permeated surface layer of the specimen containing 0.03%C consists of AlN, martensite and retained austenite phases. while the surface layer of the specimen containing 0.14%C appears the $AlFe_3C_x$ phase including former three phases. The specimen containing 0.14%C shows lower total case depth than that containing 0.03%C at the nitrogen permeation temperatures of $1050^{\circ}C$ and $1100^{\circ}C$, while the total case depth of the specimen containing 0.14%C is remarkably increased at the temperature of $1150^{\circ}C$ and $1200^{\circ}C$ due to the increase in the retained austenite content. Martensitic phase, AlN and $AlFe_3C_x$ precipitate of the nitrogen permeated surface layer cause to increase the surface hardness of 550~600Hv.