Proceedings of ABM Annual Congress


ISSN 2594-5327

69° Congresso Anual da ABM - Internacional vol. 69, num.69 (2014)


Title

CORROSION RESISTANCE OF PLASMA NITRIDED AISI 420 MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEEL: INFLUENCE OF THE PRETREATMENT AND TREATMENT TEMPERATURE

CORROSION RESISTANCE OF PLASMA NITRIDED AISI 420 MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEEL: INFLUENCE OF THE PRETREATMENT AND TREATMENT TEMPERATURE

DOI

10.5151/1516-392X-24785

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Abstract

Low-temperature nitriding of stainless steels is applied to obtain wear resistant surfaces without losing its corrosion resistance. The treatment consists in introducing nitrogen into the steel surface avoiding chromium nitride precipitation. The corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless steels is expected to be improved if the treatment parameters are correctly selected. It can be related to ?Fe2-3N and a'N phase formation on the treated surface. In the present work the influence of the pretreatment and treatment temperature on corrosion resistance of plasma nitrided AISI 420 steel samples is studied. Annealed, as-quenched and 400ºC-tempered samples were nitrided at 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500°C, for 6 h at 600 V. The pressure was 3 Torr and the gas mixture was composed of 70%N2, 20%H2 and 10%Ar, at a gas flow rate of 3.34×106 Nm3s-1. Plasma was generated using a square-wave pulsed DC power supply and the sample temperature was controlled by the duty cycle. The modified layers were characterized by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and microhardness measurement. The corrosion resistance was studied by electrochemical characterization, by means of Open circuit potential and Anodic polarization curves. The maximum surface hardness was achieved at 400°C. This temperature seems to be near the limit temperature for low-temperature treatment aiming to improve or at least to keep unaltered the corrosion resistance in relation to that verified for non-treated steel samples. Results confirm that the pretreatment and treatment temperature significantly affects the corrosion resistance of the treated surface.

 

Low-temperature nitriding of stainless steels is applied to obtain wear resistant surfaces without losing its corrosion resistance. The treatment consists in introducing nitrogen into the steel surface avoiding chromium nitride precipitation. The corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless steels is expected to be improved if the treatment parameters are correctly selected. It can be related to ?Fe2-3N and a'N phase formation on the treated surface. In the present work the influence of the pretreatment and treatment temperature on corrosion resistance of plasma nitrided AISI 420 steel samples is studied. Annealed, as-quenched and 400ºC-tempered samples were nitrided at 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500°C, for 6 h at 600 V. The pressure was 3 Torr and the gas mixture was composed of 70%N2, 20%H2 and 10%Ar, at a gas flow rate of 3.34×106 Nm3s-1. Plasma was generated using a square-wave pulsed DC power supply and the sample temperature was controlled by the duty cycle. The modified layers were characterized by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and microhardness measurement. The corrosion resistance was studied by electrochemical characterization, by means of Open circuit potential and Anodic polarization curves. The maximum surface hardness was achieved at 400°C. This temperature seems to be near the limit temperature for low-temperature treatment aiming to improve or at least to keep unaltered the corrosion resistance in relation to that verified for non-treated steel samples. Results confirm that the pretreatment and treatment temperature significantly affects the corrosion resistance of the treated surface.

Keywords

Low-temperature plasma nitriding; AISI 420 steel; Open circuit potential; Anodic polarization curve

Low-temperature plasma nitriding; AISI 420 steel; Open circuit potential; Anodic polarization curve

How to refer

Rodrigo Perito Cardoso; Cláudia Eliana Marino Zarbin; Cristiano José Scheuer; Silvio Francisco Brunatto. CORROSION RESISTANCE OF PLASMA NITRIDED AISI 420 MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEEL: INFLUENCE OF THE PRETREATMENT AND TREATMENT TEMPERATURE , p. 7995-8005. In: 69° Congresso Anual da ABM - Internacional, São Paulo - Brasil, 2014.
ISSN: 2594-5327 , DOI 10.5151/1516-392X-24785