Surface modifications of nitrogen-plasma-treated stainless steels

Abstract

Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and optical microscopy we have investigated the chemical composition and the morphology of stainless steel surfaces after low-pressure nitrogen-plasma treatment. AISI 440C and AISI 316L steels were treated at room temperature and at 600°C in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR)N 2 plasma with different negative RF-bias potentials (in the range of 0 to 200 V). The formation of CrN on the steel surface was observed at high treatment temperature as well as at room temperature. Already at room temperature, a bias higher than 20 V results in preferential Fe sputtering and the formation of a surface rich in CrN. At high temperature ( T = 600°C) treatment the N 2 plasma changes the morphology of the steel surface completely, etching in some crystallographic orientation increases the roughness of the surface dramatically. The segregation of Cr, Mo, Mn, and Si forms a top surface layer with practically no Fe. To obtain pure CrN on the steel surface a negative bias is necessary to remove Mn and Si compounds from the surface. Since CrN has a NaCl structure like TiN with a lattice mismatch of only 2.1%, we believe that a N 2 plasma treatment improves the adhesion of TiN coatings on stainless steels, by the formation of a CrN interface compound.