• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.237-242
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• 2007

Friction coefficient of SM45C steel was surprisingly reduced with $H_2S$ and $C_3H_8$ gas during plasma sulf-nitriding. During the plasma sulf-nitriding, 100-700 sccm of $H_2S$ gas and 100 sccm of $C_3H_8$ gas were added and working pressure and temperature were 2 torr, $500-550^{\circ}C$, respectively. As $H_2S$ gas amount increased over 500 sccm, flake-like structures were developed on top of the nitriding layer and grain size of the nitriding layer were about 100 nm. The friction coefficient for the sample treated plasma sulf-nitriding under $N_2-H_2S$ gas was 0.4 - 0.5. The structure became more finer and amorphous-like along with $N_2-H_2S-C_3H_8$ gas and the nano-sized surface microstructures resulted in high hardness and significantly low friction coefficient of 0.2.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.159-160
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• 2007

저온 플라즈마 침탄 처리 후 연속적인 공정으로 저온 플라즈마 질화를 실시하여 내식성과 표면경도를 향상시키는 처리에서 질화처리 시 Ar 가스가 표면특성에 미치는 영향을 조사 하였다. 모든 시편의 경도가 미처리재 보다 약4배 증가하였으며, Ar가스의 양이 증가할수록 N의 침투깊이가 깊어졌다. 전체 경화증의 두께는 거의 일정하였고, 경화층은 모재보다 내식성이 증가되어 단면조직사진에서 밝게 나타났다.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2017

Plasma ion nitriding has been widely used in various industries to improve the mechanical properties of materials, especially stainless steels by increasing the surface hardness. It has the particular advantages of less distortion compared to that in the case of hardening of steel, gas nitriding, and carburizing; in addition, it allows treatment at low-temperatures, and results in a high surface hardness and improved corrosion resistance. Many researchers have demonstrated that the plasma ion nitriding process should be carried out at temperatures of below $450^{\circ}C$ to improve corrosion resistance via the formation of the expanded austenite phase(S-phase). Most experimentals studied to date have been carried out in chloride solutions like HCl or NaCl. However, the electrochemical characteristics for the chloride solutions and natural seawater differ. Hence, in this work, plasma ion nitriding of 304 stainless steels was performed at various temperatures, and the electrochemical characteristics corresponding to the different process temperatures were analyzed for the samples in natural seawater. Finally the optimum plasma ion nitriding temperature that resulted in the highest corrosion resistance was determined.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.272-276
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• 2017

The response of AISI 310 type austenitic stainless steel to the novel low temperature plasma carburizing process has been investigated in this work. This grade of stainless steel shows better corrosion resistance and high temperature oxidation resistance due to its high chromium and nickel content. In this experiment, plasma carburizing was performed on AISI 310 stainless steel in a D.C. pulsed plasma ion nitriding system at different temperatures in $H_2-Ar-CH_4$ gas mixtures. The working pressure was 4 Torr (533Pa approx.) and the applied voltage was 600 V during the plasma carburizing treatment. The hardness of the samples was measured by using a Vickers micro hardness tester with the load of 100 g. The phase of carburized layer formed on the surface was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The resultant carburized layer was found to be precipitation free and resulted in significantly improved hardness and corrosion resistance.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2004

Austenitic stainless steel AISI 304 was nitrided in a low-pressure RF plasma using pure nitrogen. With a treatment of time of 4.0h at $400^{\circ}C$, the nitrogen-rich layer on the sample was $3\mu\textrm{m}$thick and had a hardness of approximately 4.4 times higher than that of untreated material. XRD data showed that as the process temperature rose from 350∼$450^{\circ}C$, the expanded austenite peaks became more prominent while the austenite peaks became weaker. Expanded austenite was transformed to ferrite and CrN at the treatment of$ 500^{\circ}C$. Langmuir probe measurements showed that electron density decreased above $450^{\circ}C$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1468-1475
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• 2023

Enhancement of wear resistance of components used in fast reactors is necessary for long service life of the components. Plasma nitriding is a promising surface modification technology to impart high hardness and improved wear resistance of various steel components. This study discusses the characterization of chrome nitrided SS316L casing ring used in secondary sodium pump of fast breeder reactor and its stability under long term sodium exposure. Microstructural and hardness analysis showed that stress relieved component could be chrome nitrided successfully to a thickness of about 100 ㎛. Assessment of in-sodium performance of the chrome nitrided casing ring subjected to long term exposure up to 5000h at 550℃, showed retention of chrome nitrided layer with a case depth almost similar to that before sodium exposure. A slight decrease in the hardness was observed due to prolonged high temperature sodium exposure. Tribological studies indicate very low coefficient of friction indicating the retention of good wear resistance of the coating even after long term sodium exposure.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.215-221
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• 1991

Microstructure evolution during low temperature vapor deposition exhibits wel-developed columnar structure mainly owing to geometrical shadowing effect of surface roughness. It is concluded that this structure is concided with many theoretical models suggested so far. In case of aluminum nitride film deposition consisted of etching and nitriding step employing ECR plasma, the rougher the surface before etching, the finer and more cone-and-whisker structure can be developed. In turn, this fine structure affects the formation and growth of columnar as well as offers many sites available for mechanical lock-up. Conclusively, the formation of well-defined columnar structures depends on the initial surface roughness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.11a
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• pp.175-177
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• 2012

A corrosion resistance and hard nitrocarburized layer was distinctly formed on 310 austenitic stainless steel substrate by DC plasma nitrocarburizing. Basically, 310L austenitic stainless steel has high chromium and nickel content which is applicable for high temperature applications. In this experiment, plasma nitrocarburizing was performed in a D.C. pulsed plasma ion nitriding system at different temperatures in $H_2-N_2-CH_4$ gas mixtures. After the experiment structural phases, micro-hardness and corrosion resistance were investigated by the optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, micro-hardness testing and Potentiodynamic polarization tests. The hardness of the samples was measured by using a Vickers micro hardness tester with the load of 100 g. XRD indicated a single expanded austenite phase was formed at all treatment temperatures. Such a nitrogen and carbon supersaturated layer is precipitation free and possesses a high hardness and good corrosion resistance.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.11
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• pp.716-721
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• 2009

The major drive for the application of low-temperature plasma treatment in nitrocarburizing of austenitic stainless steels lies in improved surface hardness without degraded corrosion resistance. The low-temperature plasma nitrocarburizing was performed in a gas mixture of $N_{2}$, $H_{2}$, and carbon-containing gas such as $CH_{4}$ at $450^{\circ}C$. The influence of the processing time (5~30 h) and $N_{2}$ gas composition (15~35%) on the surface properties of the nitrocarburized layer was investigated. The resultant nitrocarburized layer was a dual-layer structure, which was comprised of a N-enriched layer (${\gamma}_N$) with a high nitrogen content on top of a C-enriched layer (${\gamma}_C$) with a high carbon content, leading to a significant increase in surface hardness. The surface hardness reached up to about $1050HV_{0.01}$, which is about 4 times higher than that of the untreated sample ($250HV_{0.01}$). The thickness of the hardened layer increased with increasing treatment time and $N_{2}$ gas level in the atmosphere and reached up to about $25{\mu}m$. In addition, the corrosion resistance of the treated samples without containing $Cr_{2}N$ precipitates was enhanced than that of the untreated samples due to a high concentration of N on the surface. However, longer treatment time (25% $N_{2}$, 30 h) and higher $N_{2}$ gas composition (35% $N_{2}$, 20 h) resulted in the formation of $Cr_{2}N$ precipitates in the N-enriched layer, which caused the degradation of corrosion resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.157-158
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• 2007

AISI316L강의 내식성과 표면경도를 동시에 향상시키기 위한방법으로 저온 플라즈마 침탄과 저온 플라즈마 질화를 동일한 로 내에서 연속적으로 실시하였다. 여러 가지 공정인자 중 저온 플라즈마 질화 시 $N_2$가스가 표면에 미치는 영향을 조사 하였다. 모든 시편의 표면에 N에 의해 확장된 오스테나이트 (${\gamma}_N$)가 형성되었으며, 형성된 ${\gamma}_N$로 인하여 표면경도가 약 $3{\sim}4$배 증가하였다. $N_2$가스가 증가할수록 ${\gamma}_N$층의 두께가 증가 하였다.