• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2012

This study has been performed on the full density sintering of Fe nanopowder and the surface hardening by plasma ion nitriding. The Fe sintered part was fabricated by pressureless sintering of the Fe nanopowder at $700^{\circ}C$ in which the nanopowder agglomerates were controlled to have 0.5-5 ${\mu}m$ sized agglomerates with 150 nm Fe nanopowders. The green compact with 46% theoretical density(T.D.) showed a homogeneous microstructure with fine pores below 1 ${\mu}m$. After sintering, the powder compact underwent full densification process with above 98%T.D. and uniform nanoscale microstructure. This enhanced sintering is thought to be basically due to the homogeneous microstructure in the green compact in which the large pores are removed by wet-milling. Plasma ion nitriding of the sintered part resulted in the formation of ${\gamma}$'-$Fe_4N$ equilibrium phase with about 12 ${\mu}m$ thickness, leading to the surface hardening of the sintered Fe part. The surface hardness was remarkably increased from 176 $H_v$ for the matrix to 365 $H_v$.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.88-97
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• 1998

The surface characteristics of 13Cr stainless steel systems by plasma nitriding were investigated. The plasma nitriding for the 13Cr steels, in which the nitriding forming elements such as Ti, V, W, Nb, Al, Zr and Si were added about 2~3wt.%, respectively, was performed. In all nitrided specimens, .epsilon.-F $e_{2-3}$N, UPSILON.'-F $e_{4}$N and CrN were detected as the nitrides with the a-Fe in the nitrided layer. VN and .betha.- $W_{2}$N were also detected in 13Cr-3V and 13Cr-3W alloys. The growth of the nitrided layer was controlled by the diffusion process. The thickness of the nitrided layer was similar in the 13Cr-2Nb and 3Zr specimens to that of 13Cr(BM) specimen, while the others exhibited the thinner layer. The activation energy for the growth of the nitrided layer in the temperature range of 773-873K was about 130kJ/mol in 13Cr(BM), 13Cr-2Ti, 3W, 3Al, 3Zr and 3Si alloys. The hardness of the nitrided specimens was significantly increased above Hv1000, comparing to the non-nitrided specimen. The specimens with the nitrided forming elements revealed much higher hardness values and, especially, 13Cr-3Al, 3V and 3Si specimens were significantly hardened up to Hv1300.v1300.0.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.505-510
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• 2000

In this investigation, we fabricated RBSN (Reaction Bonded Silicon Nitride) using the static nitriding system which could be advantageous for commercialization. Firstly, Si compacts of different sizes were made, and then nitridation rates were investigated as a function of added static gas pressure. The reaction schedule was obtained by pre-experiments. In case of small samples, the variation of ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$ phases between the inside and the outside region of the specimens was examined after the samples were nitrided under 1 bar and 1.5 bar reaction pressure. On the other hand, large samples of Si compact with the size of 36 mm for diameter and 23 mm for thickness were nitrided for 26 hours of the total nitridation time, which showed a complete and homogeneous nitriding reaction from the outside to the inside of the samples, although the time was considerably shorter than that needed for convertional nitridation. Nitridation rates obtained at the early stage of reaction were proportional to the reaction gas pressures. The sequences of the nitridation reaction with the thickness were as follows 1) the outside, 2) the inside and 3) the intermediate area of the specimen. These results wer eobtained from the coloration of cross sectioned specimens that had various nitridation rates. Total nitriding reaction kinetics was controlled by chemical reaction, not by diffusion of the nitrogen gas.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.207-214
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• 2024

This study examines the effects of post-oxidation treatment on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of GC250 cast iron. The nitriding process was conducted at 570℃ for 180 minutes with a fixed nitriding potential (Kn) of 1.5, followed by post-oxidation at 450℃, 500℃, and 550℃ for 120 minutes. The post-oxidized specimens showed increased surface hardness and case depth compared to the nitrided specimens, with a maximum surface hardness of approximately 890 HV0.1. The oxidation process increased the thickness of the nitrided layer by more than 3 ㎛, with the oxide layer thickness reaching up to 2.5㎛ as the oxidation temperature increased. XRD analysis identified the presence of ε-phase, γ'-phase, and Fe₃O⁴ phase on the surface. Polarization tests revealed that the specimen treated at the highest oxidation temperature had a corrosion current density of 20.26 ㎂/cm² and a corrosion potential of -0.22V, indicating enhanced corrosion resistance compared to the nitrided specimen. This improvement is attributed to the formation and increased thickness of the oxide layer, which enhances corrosion resistance. In conclusion, the oxide layer formed through post-oxidation treatment significantly improves the corrosion resistance of GC250 cast iron, with the effect becoming more pronounced at higher oxidation temperatures.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2010

The mechanisms of selective oxidation of intercritically annealed CMnAl TRIP steels in a Continuous Galvanizing Line (GCL) were studied by cross-sectional observation of the surface and sub-surface regions by means of High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). The selective oxidation and nitriding of an intercritically annealed CMnAl TRIP steel in a controlled dew point 10%$H_2+N_2$ atmosphere resulted in the formation of c-xMnO.$MnO_2$ (1${\leq}$x<3) and c-xMnO.$Al_2O_3$ ($x{\geq}1$) particles on the steel surface. Single crystal c-xMnO.$SiO_2$ ($2{\leq}x{\leq}4$) oxide particles were also observed on the surface. A thin film of crystalline c-xMnO.$SiO_2$ (2${\leq}$x<3) and c-xMnO.$Al_2O_3$ ($x{\geq}1$) was present between these particles. In the sub-surface region, internal oxidation, nitriding and intermetallic compound formation were observed. In the first region, large crystalline c-xMnO.$SiO_2$ ($1{\geq}x{\geq}2$) and c-xMnO.$Al_2O_3$ ($x{\geq}1$) oxides particles were present. In the second region, c-AlN particles were observed, and in a third region, small $MnAl_x$ (x>1) intermetallic compound particles were observed.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.244-250
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• 1992

Iron nitride $Fe_4N$ by partial substitution of nitrogen by carbon was prepared by nitriding the iron oxalate whose thermal decomposition gives a carburating atmosphere. Iron oxalates, the precursors, were prepared by precipitation and co-precipitation. The size and shape of the carbonitride particles could be controlled by modifying the conditions of preparation of the oxalate precursor. From the results of electron micrographs, it is clear that the $Fe_4N$ pigment particle maintains the original shape(needle shape) of the starting materials and that it consists of fine unit particles which link together to form a stereo-network structure. An investigation of the $Fe^{II}_3\;Fe^I_{1-x}\;Sn_xN_{1-y}C_y$ solid solution has shown that Sn plays the role of a growth inhibitor of the elementary microcrystallites of the iron carbonitride. The coercive force and saturation magnetization of iron carbonitride obtained from co-precipitated iron oxalate were 500 Oe and 120 emu/g, respectively.