Structure and properties of ion-nitrided stainless steels

The structure and properties of ion-nitrided layers on several stainless steels, 410 martensitic stainless steel, 430 ferritic stainless steel and 321 austenitic stainless steel, has been studied under varying process conditions with microhardness-depth correlations, optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The process variables studied include time (2 to 10 h) and temperature (400 to 600° C). The highest case depth values and hardness levels were observed in martensitic stainless steels. The lowest case depths were observed in austenitic stainless steel. In general, the behaviour of matensitic and ferritic stainless steels were similar. All three steels showed increasing case depths and decreasing surface hardnesses with increasing ion-nitriding temperatures and times. Nitriding depth was found to be parabolic with ion nitriding time in all three steels at all ion-nitriding temperatures investigated, the nitriding reaction being faster in martensitic stainless steel than the others. Electron microscopy showed that almost no structural difference arises in the core of ferritic and austenitic stainless steels whereas recrystallization of the martensitic structure was observed in the core of martensitic steel following ion nitriding. Electron microscopy results also showed that ion nitriding produces platelets or disc-shaped precipitates on {001} matrix planes, coherent with the matrix. These platelets showed a striated morphology which is thought to be the result of the elastic strain in the matrix.