What Does
Gas Nitrocarburizing Mean?
Gas nitrocarburizing is a variation of the nitriding process. It is a thermo-chemical diffusion process where nitrogen, carbon, and to a very small degree, oxygen atoms diffuse into the surface of the steel, forming a compound layer at the surface, and a diffusion layer. Nitrocarburizing is a shallow-case variation of the nitriding process.
Corrosionpedia Explains Gas Nitrocarburizing
The process is carried out in a sealed retort furnace at temperatures between 490°C and 530°C in a flowing ammonia atmosphere for up to 120 hours. Nitrocarburizing is more commonly applied to low-alloy steels, mild steels and cast irons, but can equally be applied to any steel which is thermally stable at the treatment temperatures.
Advantages:
· Increased abrasion resistance as a result of higher hardness and strength of the case
· Reduction of the friction coefficient, and thus improved gliding properties
· Reduced adhesion to wear partner
· Reduced reactiveness to surrounding reactive agents
· Minimum dimension change and only slight form change
· High surface hardness with suitable materials