• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.371-378
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• 1996

An RF inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch has been developed as a typical thermal plasma generator and reactor. It has been applied to various materials processings such as plasma flash evaporation, thermal plasma CVD, plasma spraying, and plasma waste disposal. The RF ICP reactor has been generally operated under one atmospheric pressure. Lately the characteristics of low pressure RF ICP is attracting a great deal of attention in the field of plasma application. In our researches of RF plasma applications, low pressure RF ICP is mainly used. In many cases, the plasma generated by the ICP torch under low pressure seems to be rather capacitive, but high density ICP can be easily generated by our RF plasma torch with 3 turns coil and a suitable maching circuiit, using 13.56 MHz RF generator. Plasma surface modification (surface hardening by plasma nitriding and plasma carbo-nitriding), plasma synthesis of AIN, and plasma CVD of BN, B-C-N compound and diamond were practiced by using low pressure RF plasma, and the effects of negative and positive bias voltage impression to the substrate on surface modification and CVD were investigated in details. Only a part of the interesting results obtained is reported in this paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.675-676
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• 2010

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.221-231
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• 2023

Interest in aluminum alloys for the hydrogen valves of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is growing due to the reduction in fuel efficiency by the high weight. However, when an aluminum alloy is used, deterioration in mechanical characteristics caused by hydrogen embrittlement and wear is regarded as a problem. In this investigation, the aluminum alloy used to prevent hydrogen embrittlement was subjected to surface treatments by performing hard anodizing and plasma ion nitriding processes. The hard anodized Al alloy exhibited brittleness in which the mechanical characteristics rapidly deteriorated due to porosity and defects of surface, resulting in a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength and modulus of toughness by 15.58 and 42.51%, respectively, as the hydrogen charging time increased from 0 to 96 hours. In contrast, no distinct nitriding layer in the plasma ion-nitrided Al alloy was observed due to oxide film formation and processing conditions. However, compared to 0 and 96 hours of hydrogen charging time, the ultimate tensile strength and modulus of toughness decreased by 7.54 and 13.32%, respectively, presenting excellent resistance to hydrogen embrittlement.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2010

SCM440 steels were nitrided using pulsed dc plasma combined with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) generated by 13.56 MHz rf power in order to enhance case hardening depth. The case hardening depth was increased with rf power. The effective case-depth with ICP at 900 watt was as 1.6 times as that nitrided without ICP. The hardening depth was also increased up to 1.45 times. The compound layers formed on top surface were dense and thin when pulsed dc plasma was combined with ICP.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.343-350
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• 2020

The degradation of mechanical properties of nitride coatings to steel substrates is one of the main challenges for industrial applications. In this study, plasma nitriding treatment was used in order to increase the mechanical properties of Mo-Cu-N coating to the H13 tool steel. The nanostructured Mo-Cu-N coating was deposited using pulsed DC magnetron sputtering method with a single alloy Mo-Cu target. Mechanical properties of MoN-Cu coated samples after nitriding were found to be relatively better than non-nitrided MoN-Cu coating.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.164-175
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• 2009

CFD is used to analyze gas flow characteristics, power absorption, electron temperature, electron density and chemical species profile of an internal antenna type inductively coupled plasma system. An optimized grid generation technology is used for a complex real-scale models for industry. A bare metal antenna shows concentrated power absorption around rf a feeding line. Skin depth of power absorption for a system is modeled to 50 mm, which is reported 53 mm by experiments. For an application of bipolar plates for hydrogen fuel cells, multi-sheet loading ICP nitriding system is proposed using an internal ICP antenna. It shows higher atomic nitrogen density than reported simple pulsed dc nitriding systems. Minimum gap between sheets for uniform nitriding is modeled to be 39 mm.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.124-128
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• 2008

The nitride layer was formed on Ti and Ti-10 wt.%Ta-10 wt.%Nb alloy by a plasma nitriding method. Temperature was selected as the main experimental parameter for plasma nitriding. XRD, EDX, and hardness test were employed to analyze the evolution and material properties of the layer. The SEM observation of TiN nitride layer revealed that the thickness of nitride layer tended to increase with increasing temperature. ${\delta}-TiN$, ${\varepsilon}-Ti_{2}N$ and ${\alpha}-Ti$ phases were detected by XRD analysis and the preferred orientation of TiN nitride layer was obviously observed at (220) plane with increasing temperature. From XRD analysis after step polishing the nitride specimens treated at $850^{\circ}C$, as polishing from the surface, TiN and $Ti_{2}N$ phases decreased gradually. After polishing the surface by $4{\um}m$, a small amount of $Ti_{2}N$ and ${\alpha}-Ti$ phases were observed. The adhesive strength test result indicated that adhesive strength increased with increasing temperature.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.54-62
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• 1998

In this study, the behaviorof ion nitriding of AISI 304 stainless steel was investigated using plasma ion nitriding system. The characteristics of ion nitriding, and their micsoctrucyures, and physical properties were investigated as a function of process parmeteds. important conclusions can be summarzied as follows. Firstly, it was found that growth of nitride layer in ion nitriding are mainly affected by N2 partial pressures and nitriding temperatures for AISI 304 stainless steel. The $N_2$<\TEX> partial pressure plays on important role in ion nitriding since it determiness the incoming flux of nitrogen species onto specimen surface. Nitriding thmprrature is also important besauseit determines the diffusion rates of nitrogen through nitride layers. While both parameters affects the characteristics rateding are controlled by nitridingen diffusion nitration profiles of N and alloying elements such as Cr and Ni are observed through niride layers. Secondly, nitride layer consists of the upper white laywe having various nitride phases and the underneath diffusion layers. The thickness of white layer increases with $N_2$<\TEX> partial pressures and nitriding temperatures. The thinkness of diffusion layer is increasting nitriding temperatures. Finally, nitriding of stainless steels steel show slighly low their corrsionce prorerties. However, passivation properties, which is normally observed in stainless steels, were still observed aftre ion nitriding.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.334-344
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• 1998

Yew coating pmccss t.o form a surface layer ol CrN phasc on mild steel (A81 1020!, AlSI Hi3, 1Cr-0.5Mo steel (ASTM A213 and Nickrl-base superalloy (Inconel 718) was developed. Surlaces of various alloys t,n.ateii by chromizing for the formation ol Cr diffusion layer was subsequently trcaled by plasma nitriding in order t.o form the hard CrS coating layer on the surfaces. This duplex plasma surface tri-atments of chromizing and plasma nitriding have induced a lormation of a duplex-lrcated surfacr hyer of approximat~ls 70-80 $\mu\textrm{m}$thickncss with a iargcly improved microiiardnrss up to approxiniateW 1500Hv(50gf). The main cause for the lage improvment in the surface hardncss is altribilted to [.he fact that CrN and $Fe_xN$ phases are created successfully by ccliromizins and plasma nilriding treatment. High tenipera1,urc wear resislance of the duplex-treated mild steel and HI3 steels at $600^{\circ}C$ was examined. Comparing the duplex-treated specimens with the specimens treated only by chromizing, the rcsults shovmi that, thc wear volume of the duplex-treated mild skcl and 1113 stcel aSt.er a wear test, at $600^{\circ}C$ were reduced hy a Iactor of 8 and 3, respectively. Characteristics of the CrS phase by duplrx treatment were compared with $CrN_x$,/TEX> film by ion plating and the wear behaviors of CrN film lormed by two different nroccsses arc nea.riy identical.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.99-110
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• 1998

The effects of pre-heat treatment(Q/T) on microstructure and hardness of SCM435 structural steel nitrided by micro-pulse plasma was investigated. The quenching and tempering temperatures for obtaining matrix hardness of SCM435 steel on range of HRC30 to HRC40 desired for machine parts were about $860^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$ respectively. The case depth of SCM435 nitrided at $480^{\circ}C$ for 5 hours was independent of pre-heat treatment condition and was approximately $150{\mu}m$. However, hardness and compactness of nitrified layer on Q/T treated specimen were more heigher than annealed specimen. The case depth increased linearly with the increase of nitriding temperature, however, the hardness of nitrified layer decreased with the temperature. Phase mixture of ${\gamma}^{\prime}$-phase($Fe_4N$) and ${\varepsilon}$-phase($Fe_3N$) were detected by XRD analysis in the nitrified layer formed at optimum nitriding condition, and only single ${\gamma}^{\prime}$-phase was detected in the nitrified layer formed at higher nitriding temperature such as $540^{\circ}C$. The optimum nitriding temperature was approximately $480^{\circ}C$ which is lower than tempering temperature for preventing softening behavior of SCM435 matrix during nitriding process and the surface hardness of nitrified layer obtained by optimum preheat treatment condition was about Hv930.