Sliding Wear of AISI 405 With Plasma Nitriding

W. TUCKART, M. GREGORIO AND L. IURMAN

SURFACE ENGINEERING

MANEY PUBLISHING

Año: 2010 vol. 26 p. 185 - 190

0267-0844

The scope of this paper is to report the qualitative study of the phases present in the microstructure and of their tribological properties in a plasma nitrided ferritic stainless steel AISI 405. To achieve the proposed objective, two groups of samples were selected, one tested with a cast structure and the other submitted to plasma nitriding process in a reactor type chamber, at 673 K for 20 h, in a 25%N2/75%H2, and cooled in an Ar atmosphere. The wear under dry sliding conditions was evaluated with an Amsler wear machine. The phases were studied by optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction and the mechanical properties were evaluated through Vickers microhardness profiles. The tribological behaviour of the nitrided layers was explained by means of the wear mechanisms acting in the different conditions established during the performed tests. The sliding wear resistance of plasma nitrided AISI 405 was up to 149 times higher than that of the untreated one.2/75%H2, and cooled in an Ar atmosphere. The wear under dry sliding conditions was evaluated with an Amsler wear machine. The phases were studied by optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction and the mechanical properties were evaluated through Vickers microhardness profiles. The tribological behaviour of the nitrided layers was explained by means of the wear mechanisms acting in the different conditions established during the performed tests. The sliding wear resistance of plasma nitrided AISI 405 was up to 149 times higher than that of the untreated one.