Wear of plasma nitrided high speed steel

Abstract

In the present work the effects of different plasma nitriding processes on the high speed steel AISI M2 were investigated, comparing the wear performance and the microstructure of the steel. Specimens were nitrided at temperatures between 450 and 550°C for between 18 min and 2 h using a gas composition of 5 or 25%N₂, balance H₂. The wear test was carried out using an Amsler machine and a wheel-fiat type test. X-ray diffraction analyses, chemical composition depth profiles by glow discharge optical spectroscopy, microhardness tests, and optical and scanning electron microscopy of the layers were performed. The specimens nitrided at 550°C showed spalling in wear tests indicating a brittle surface, while the specimens nitrided for 1 h at 450 and 500°C (25%N₂) demonstrated reduced friction coefficients and adhesive wear.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

EDENHOFER

: Heat Treat. Met., 1974, 2, 59–67.

EDENHOFER

and BEWLEY

T. J.

: Heat Treat ., 1976, 9, 7–13.

SMITH

A. P.

and GANE

: Proc. Australian Conf. on Manufacturing Engineering, Adelaide, Australia, August 1977, Institute of Engineers, 207–210.

BEJAR

M. A.

and VRANJICAN

: J. Mater. Process. Technol., 1992, 35, 113–119.

TIER

M. A.

: ‘Estudo do processo de nitretacao em ferramentas de acos rapidos’, Master's dissertation, UFRGS–PPGEMM, Brazil, 1994.

EDENHOFER

: Fachber. Oberf I., 1973, 718, 212–214.

MRIDHA

and JACK

H. H.

: Met. Sci., 1982, 16, 398–404.