The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the heating rate of steel balls made of AISI 52100 alloy steel on the kinetics and efficiency of the gas nitriding process when carried out using a chemical reactor with precise thermo-gravimetric measurements, which allowed for changes in sample...

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Main Authors: Tadeusz Frączek, Rafał Prusak, Jerzy Michalski, Zbigniew Skuza, Marzena Ogórek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-10-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/20/6708
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author Tadeusz Frączek
Rafał Prusak
Jerzy Michalski
Zbigniew Skuza
Marzena Ogórek
author_facet Tadeusz Frączek
Rafał Prusak
Jerzy Michalski
Zbigniew Skuza
Marzena Ogórek
author_sort Tadeusz Frączek
collection DOAJ
description The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the heating rate of steel balls made of AISI 52100 alloy steel on the kinetics and efficiency of the gas nitriding process when carried out using a chemical reactor with precise thermo-gravimetric measurements, which allowed for changes in sample mass during heating and nitriding to be monitored with an accuracy of 50 µg. In the chemical reactor, the examined alloy steel was subjected to a heating process at the selected nitriding temperature of 590 °C. Two heating variants were used: the first variant relied on heating to the nitriding temperature with different rates—1 °C per minute, 2 °C per minute, 5 °C per minute and 10 °C per minute, respectively—whereas the second variant relied on the fast—25 °C per minute—heating of treated specimens to a temperature of 475 °C, at which, the nitrogenous potential of the atmosphere promotes faster nitrogen diffusion deep into the nitrided substrate, followed by reheating up to the nitriding temperature at different rates: 1 °C per minute, 2 °C per minute, 5 °C per minute, and 10 °C per minute, respectively. To evaluate the impact of heating rate kinetics and effectiveness during nitriding on the obtained surface layer quality, we investigated the phase composition, microhardness distribution, and thickness of the obtained diffusion layers. It was found that heating to a temperature of 475 °C in the nitriding process does not significantly affect the average mass gain of a sample. Above this temperature, within the range of nitriding temperatures, the extension of time increases the sample’s mass gain. Simultaneously, it was found that the use of a constant heating rate allows for thicker nitrided layers and a greater sample hardness to be obtained. Dual-stage heating, in turn, is more effective in the context of sample mass gain per time unit.
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spelling doaj.art-35a6d1c47e9f403a9196f34cbc79a92c2023-11-19T17:11:11ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-10-011620670810.3390/ma16206708The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 SteelTadeusz Frączek0Rafał Prusak1Jerzy Michalski2Zbigniew Skuza3Marzena Ogórek4Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-201 Czestochowa, PolandDepartment of Production, Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-201 Czestochowa, PolandŁukasiewicz Research Network—Warsaw Institute of Technology, ul. Duchnicka 3, 01-796 Warszawa, PolandDepartment of Production, Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-201 Czestochowa, PolandDepartment of Production, Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Czestochowa University of Technology, 42-201 Czestochowa, PolandThe aim of this study was to determine the impact of the heating rate of steel balls made of AISI 52100 alloy steel on the kinetics and efficiency of the gas nitriding process when carried out using a chemical reactor with precise thermo-gravimetric measurements, which allowed for changes in sample mass during heating and nitriding to be monitored with an accuracy of 50 µg. In the chemical reactor, the examined alloy steel was subjected to a heating process at the selected nitriding temperature of 590 °C. Two heating variants were used: the first variant relied on heating to the nitriding temperature with different rates—1 °C per minute, 2 °C per minute, 5 °C per minute and 10 °C per minute, respectively—whereas the second variant relied on the fast—25 °C per minute—heating of treated specimens to a temperature of 475 °C, at which, the nitrogenous potential of the atmosphere promotes faster nitrogen diffusion deep into the nitrided substrate, followed by reheating up to the nitriding temperature at different rates: 1 °C per minute, 2 °C per minute, 5 °C per minute, and 10 °C per minute, respectively. To evaluate the impact of heating rate kinetics and effectiveness during nitriding on the obtained surface layer quality, we investigated the phase composition, microhardness distribution, and thickness of the obtained diffusion layers. It was found that heating to a temperature of 475 °C in the nitriding process does not significantly affect the average mass gain of a sample. Above this temperature, within the range of nitriding temperatures, the extension of time increases the sample’s mass gain. Simultaneously, it was found that the use of a constant heating rate allows for thicker nitrided layers and a greater sample hardness to be obtained. Dual-stage heating, in turn, is more effective in the context of sample mass gain per time unit.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/20/6708gas nitridingkinetics and efficiency of the processnitride phases
spellingShingle Tadeusz Frączek
Rafał Prusak
Jerzy Michalski
Zbigniew Skuza
Marzena Ogórek
The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel
Materials
gas nitriding
kinetics and efficiency of the process
nitride phases
title The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel
title_full The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel
title_fullStr The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel
title_full_unstemmed The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel
title_short The Impact of Heating Rate on the Kinetics of the Nitriding Process for 52100 Steel
title_sort impact of heating rate on the kinetics of the nitriding process for 52100 steel
topic gas nitriding
kinetics and efficiency of the process
nitride phases
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/20/6708
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