• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.246-254
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• 2022

The high-temperature oxidation behavior of Cr-Mo steel AISI 4115 in air at different temperatures (600, 850, 950℃) for 120 min was studied by mass gain analysis, phase analysis (optical microscopy, electron probe micro-analysis, x-ray diffraction) and hardness measurement of each iron oxide-phase. The oxidation scales that formed on oxidation process consisted outer layer (Hematite), middle layer (Magnetite) and the inner layer (Chromite). In the case of 850 and 950℃, the oxidation mass gain per unit area of AISI 4115 steel increased according to the logarithmic rate as atmospheric pressure increased. Especially, It has been observed that with an increase in the atmospheric pressure at 600℃, the oxidation mass gain per unit area changed from a linear to logarithmic relationship.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.272-280
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• 2021

The influence of acetylene flow rates on the carburizing behavior of an AISI 4115 steel in 1 ton-class mass production-type vacuum carburizing furnace has been studied through microstructure, carbon concentration, hardness analyses. The AISI 4115 steels were carburized with various flow rates (20, 32.7, 60 l/min) and locations in the furnace (top, center, bottom) at 950℃. The acetylene flow rate played an important role in controlling the carburizing properties of carburized samples, such as effective case depth and uniformity carburizing according to location in the furnace. At an acetylene flow rate of 20 l/min, the carburized samples had a shallow average hardened layer (0.645 mm) compared to the target hardening depth (1 mm) due to low carbon flux and spatial uniformity of carburization (17.8%) in the furnace. At a flow rate of 60 l/min, the carburized samples showed an average hardened layer (1.449 mm) deeper than the target hardening depth and had the spatial uniformity of carburization (98.8%). In particular, at a flow rate of 32.7 l/min, the carburized samples had an average hardened layer (1.13 mm) close to the target hardening depth and had the highest carburizing uniformity (99.1%). As a result, an appropriate flow rate of 32.7 l/min was derived to satisfy the target hardening depth and to have spatial uniform hardened layer in the furnace.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.267-277
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• 2021

Nitriding layers developed during gaseous nitriding of AISI4115 steels for the application of steel bushing part were investigated. The compound layer thickness of about 10㎛, 0.3mm of case depth under the same conditions, and conventional nitriding, nitrocarburizing, and controlled nitriding were performed in three methods. In the controlled nitriding, K_N was controlled by measuring the hydrogen partial pressure. The nitrided samples were analyzed by micro Vickers hardness test, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The phases of compound layer were identified by X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction. The controlled nitriding specimen indicated the highest surface hardness of about 860 HV_0.1. The compound layer of the conventional nitriding and nitrocarburizing specimen was formed with about 46% porous layer and 𝜺 + 𝜸' phase, and about 13% porous layer and about 80% 𝜸' phase were formed on the controlled nitriding specimen. As a result of the Ball-on-disk wear test, the worn mass loss of ball performed on the surface of the controlled nitriding specimen was the largest. The controlled nitriding specimen had the highest surface hardness due to the lowest porous percentage of compound layer, which improved the wear resistance.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.402-411
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• 2023

In order to examine the effect of cementite precipitated on the steel surface on the carburizing rate, the carburizing process was carried out at various boost times to measure the mass gain and carbon flux, phase analysis and carbon concentration analysis were performed on the surface of the carburized specimen. In the case of the only boost type, the longer the boost time, the more the mass gain by the diffused carbon follows the parabolic law and tends to increase. In particular, as the boost time increased, the depth of cementite precipitation and the average size of cementite on the steel surface increased. At a boost time of 7 min, the fraction of cementite precipitated on the surface is 7.32 vol.%, and the carburizing rate of carbon into the surface (surface-carbon flux) is about 17.4% compared to the calculated value because the area of the chemical (catalyst) where the carburization reaction takes place is reduced. The measured carbon concentration profile of the carburized specimen tended to be generally lower than the carbon concentration calculated by the model without considering precipitated cementite. On the other hand, in the pulse type, the mass gain by the diffused carbon increased according to the boost time following a linear law. At a boost time of 7 min, the fraction of cementite precipitated on the surface was 3.62 vol.%, and the surface-carbon flux decreased by about 4.1% compared to the calculated value. As a result, a model for predicting the actual carbon flux was presented by applying the carburization resistace coefficient derived from the surface cementite fraction as a variable.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.94-103
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• 2023

The effects of carburizing pressure and gas ratio on vacuum carburizing properties (uniformity and surface characteristics) have been studied through the analyses of carbon concentration, hardness, surface color, surface roughness and type of carbon bonding. AISI 4115 steel specimens were carburized with various pressures (1, 5, and 10 Torr) at different locations (P₁, P₂, P₃, P₄, P₅, and P₆) inside a furnace held at 950 ℃. Since the carburizing pressure represents the density of the carburizing gas, it plays an important role in improving the carburizing uniformity according to locations in the furnace. As the carburizing pressure increased, the carburizing uniformity according to the sample location was improved, but the surface of the carburized specimen was discolored due to the residual acetylene gas, which does not contribute to the carburizing reaction. Therefore, the carburizing uniformity and surface discoloration have been improved by injecting acetylene gas (carburizing gas) and nitrogen gas (non-reactive gas) in a specific ratio.