Investigation of steel nitrided in ammonia mixed with nitrogen

Abstract

1. The reduced brittleness of the nitrided case obtained in ammonia mixed with nitrogen results primarily from the lower nitrogen content in the surface zone. 2. The depth of the surface zone with a lower nitrogen content is approximately the same as the depth determined with a microscope. 3. The sharp reduction of the carbon concentration in the nitrided case in 4Kh14N14V2M steel is primarily the result of the replacement of carbon with nitrogen, and 38KhMYuA steel also the result of surface decarburization. 4. The fact that the nitrided case depth does not increase with nitriding time in austenitic steel 4Kh14N14V2M apparently results from the formationof a zone with a high concentration of carbon immediately below the nitrided layer.