Research on component phases and microstructure shape of a rapid ion nitriding layer

The properties of nitrided parts are closely related to the component phases of their compound layers and microstructure shape of their diffusion layers. Based upon the influence of nitriding temperature and nitrogen (N) potential on formation and decomposition of ion nitriding layer, the component phases and microstructure shape of ion nitrided layer, which was processed under cyclic N potential, was studied with x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mechanism of rapid ion nitriding is also discussed in this paper. The results show that if the rapid ion nitriding by the thermal cycling and the N potential cycling is controlled, the nitriding speed and nitrided layer thickness of materials can not only be enhanced compared to the conventional ion nitriding technique, but also the alloy nitrides can be obviously increased. The precipitation hardness phases of diffusion layer became more trivial and spread in all directions. It is very important to improve the quality of the nitrided layer and to enhance the properties of nitrided parts.