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Effect of ion nitriding on the abrasive wear resistance of ultrahigh-strength steels with different silicon contents

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Abstract

This article studies the effect of silicon (Si) on ultrahigh-strength AISI 4340 steels in connection with the thermal treatment, as well as the influence of this element on nitriding and, consequently, abrasive wear. Four alloys with different Si contents were nitrided at 350 °C (4 and 8 h) and 500 and 550 °C (2 and 4 h) in a gas mixture of 80 vol.% H2 and 20 vol.% N2. The nitrided layers were characterized by microhardness and pin-on-disk tests, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The increase in Si enhanced the tempering resistance of the steels and also improved considerably the hardness of the nitrided layers. The increase in Si produced thinner compound layers with better hardness quality and high abrasive wear resistance. XRD analysis detected a mixture of nitrides in the layers γ′-Fe4N, ε-Fe2–3N, CrN, MoN, and Si3N4 with their proportions varying with the nitriding conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Aeronáutica e Automobilística, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense 400, 13566-590, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    R. M. Muñoz Riofano & L. C. Casteletti

  2. Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 13656-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    P. A. P. Nascente

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  1. R. M. Muñoz Riofano
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  2. L. C. Casteletti
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  3. P. A. P. Nascente
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Riofano, R.M.M., Casteletti, L.C. & Nascente, P.A.P. Effect of ion nitriding on the abrasive wear resistance of ultrahigh-strength steels with different silicon contents. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 14, 75–84 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1361/10599490522347

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