Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces

In this paper, quenched AerMet100 steel specimens are plasma nitrided at different temperatures (from 440 °C to 500 °C), and their microstructures and mechanical properties are investigated. Surface layer hardness variation induced by plasma nitriding is also analyzed and correlated with microstruct...

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Main Authors: Baofeng Chen, Fuyao Yan, M.F. Yan, Yanxiang Zhang, Yueming Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-07-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422006822
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author Baofeng Chen
Fuyao Yan
M.F. Yan
Yanxiang Zhang
Yueming Xu
author_facet Baofeng Chen
Fuyao Yan
M.F. Yan
Yanxiang Zhang
Yueming Xu
author_sort Baofeng Chen
collection DOAJ
description In this paper, quenched AerMet100 steel specimens are plasma nitrided at different temperatures (from 440 °C to 500 °C), and their microstructures and mechanical properties are investigated. Surface layer hardness variation induced by plasma nitriding is also analyzed and correlated with microstructural characteristics and concentration distributions of carbon and nitrogen. Results show that wear resistance of AerMet100 steel after nitriding treatment exhibits various degrees of improvement compared with the un-treated specimen. Especially for the nitrided specimens from 460 °C to 500 °C, volume wear rate is reduced by more than 88%. Such great improvement is mainly attributed to the absence of brittle ε-Fe2-3N phase and the presence of a thick gradient nitrided layer. The interfacial properties of γ′-Fe4N(111)/α′N(011) are investigated by first-principles calculations. Six interface models with different γ′-Fe4N(111) termination and stacking sites are investigated to clarify their effects on the interfacial adhesion. The Fe-terminated Bridge site model exhibits a stronger adhesion tendency after relaxation, which can be regarded as the strongest interface. We found that the alloying additives benefit the γ′-(Fe,M)4N(111)Fe/α′N(011) interfacial adhesion in the order Si < Zr < Cu < Al < Ni < Mn < Co < Nb < Ti < V < Mo < Fe < Cr. Wherein, only Cr can be regarded as enhancers, and doping with Cr and Si are the most prominent representatives of strengthening and weakening effects, respectively. In addition, the bonding characteristics of two representative interface structures doped with Cr and Si are further studied. Density of states (DOS) and crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) analysis indicate that the significantly improved interfacial adhesion of Cr-doped is mainly due to the significant improvement of the enhanced Fe-Fe bonding. These results may provide some important inspirations for future experimental work of preparing high-performance nitrided layer.
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spelling doaj.art-613cdff5ca234803a29b31c4d4a5e5a52022-12-22T03:08:34ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542022-07-01194660Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfacesBaofeng Chen0Fuyao Yan1M.F. Yan2Yanxiang Zhang3Yueming Xu4National Key Laboratory for Precision Hot Processing of Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Precision Hot Processing of Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Precision Hot Processing of Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China; Corresponding author.National Key Laboratory for Precision Hot Processing of Metals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China; Corresponding author.Beijing Research Institute of Mechanical &amp; Electrical Technology, Beijing 100083, ChinaIn this paper, quenched AerMet100 steel specimens are plasma nitrided at different temperatures (from 440 °C to 500 °C), and their microstructures and mechanical properties are investigated. Surface layer hardness variation induced by plasma nitriding is also analyzed and correlated with microstructural characteristics and concentration distributions of carbon and nitrogen. Results show that wear resistance of AerMet100 steel after nitriding treatment exhibits various degrees of improvement compared with the un-treated specimen. Especially for the nitrided specimens from 460 °C to 500 °C, volume wear rate is reduced by more than 88%. Such great improvement is mainly attributed to the absence of brittle ε-Fe2-3N phase and the presence of a thick gradient nitrided layer. The interfacial properties of γ′-Fe4N(111)/α′N(011) are investigated by first-principles calculations. Six interface models with different γ′-Fe4N(111) termination and stacking sites are investigated to clarify their effects on the interfacial adhesion. The Fe-terminated Bridge site model exhibits a stronger adhesion tendency after relaxation, which can be regarded as the strongest interface. We found that the alloying additives benefit the γ′-(Fe,M)4N(111)Fe/α′N(011) interfacial adhesion in the order Si < Zr < Cu < Al < Ni < Mn < Co < Nb < Ti < V < Mo < Fe < Cr. Wherein, only Cr can be regarded as enhancers, and doping with Cr and Si are the most prominent representatives of strengthening and weakening effects, respectively. In addition, the bonding characteristics of two representative interface structures doped with Cr and Si are further studied. Density of states (DOS) and crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) analysis indicate that the significantly improved interfacial adhesion of Cr-doped is mainly due to the significant improvement of the enhanced Fe-Fe bonding. These results may provide some important inspirations for future experimental work of preparing high-performance nitrided layer.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422006822Plasma nitridingSecondary hardeningMechanical propertiesFirst-principlesWork of adhesion
spellingShingle Baofeng Chen
Fuyao Yan
M.F. Yan
Yanxiang Zhang
Yueming Xu
Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Plasma nitriding
Secondary hardening
Mechanical properties
First-principles
Work of adhesion
title Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces
title_full Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces
title_fullStr Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces
title_full_unstemmed Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces
title_short Nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of AerMet100 steel and first-principles calculations of phase interfaces
title_sort nitriding behavior and mechanical properties of aermet100 steel and first principles calculations of phase interfaces
topic Plasma nitriding
Secondary hardening
Mechanical properties
First-principles
Work of adhesion
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422006822
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