純鉄の浸窒焼入れ組織

Abstract

Austenite formation on the surface of pure iron during nitriding in a mixture of NH3 and H2 gases and surface hardening due to formation of iron-nitrogen martensite by subsequent quenching were investigated. In nitriding at 973 K at a partial pressure of NH3(fNH3) of 5% and 10%, austenite layer is formed at the surface while double-layered structures consisting e-Fe2~3N and austenite are developed at fNH3 of 20%. In addition, at these high fNH3, voids are formed in e-Fe2~3N nitride as well as austenite with high nitrogen content. At fNH3 of 5% and 10%, the growth rates of austenite accords with parabolic growth law and become faster with increasing fNH3. On the other hand, after prolonged treatment at fNH3 of 20%, thickness of the nitrided zone is less than that for 10% due to substantial formation of voids and resultant emission of nitrogen from the surface. The hardness of the nitrided zone is nearly the constant at 800HV in the specimen nitrided at fNH3 of 5% whereas softening near the surface occurs in the specimens nitrided at fNH3 of 10% and 20% due to formation of the retained austenite and the voids.