Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons

Unalloyed cast iron materials exhibit low tribological and corrosive resistance. In this respect, nitriding has a wide range of applications for steels. In the case of cast iron, the advantageous properties of nitrided layers are impaired by the presence of graphite. Electron beam remelting of cast...

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Main Authors: Anja Holst, Stefan Kante, Andreas Leineweber, Anja Buchwalder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Metals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/1/156
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author Anja Holst
Stefan Kante
Andreas Leineweber
Anja Buchwalder
author_facet Anja Holst
Stefan Kante
Andreas Leineweber
Anja Buchwalder
author_sort Anja Holst
collection DOAJ
description Unalloyed cast iron materials exhibit low tribological and corrosive resistance. In this respect, nitriding has a wide range of applications for steels. In the case of cast iron, the advantageous properties of nitrided layers are impaired by the presence of graphite. Electron beam remelting of cast iron surfaces prior to nitriding removes graphite. The homogeneous ledeburitic microstructure within the approx. 1 mm-thick remelted layer enables the formation of a dense compound layer during subsequent nitriding. The main objective of this study is to investigate the nitriding mechanism of unalloyed ledeburitic microstructures. Due to the complex relationships, investigations were carried out on both conventional ferritic and pearlitic cast irons and Fe-based model alloys containing one to four additional alloying elements, i.e., C, Si, Mn and Cu. The iron (carbo-)nitride composition (γ’, ε) of this compound layer depends on the gas nitriding conditions, the chemical composition of the substrates and the microstructural constituents. As a result, a schematic model of the nitriding mechanism is developed that includes the effects of the nitriding parameters and alloy composition on the phase composition of the nitriding layer. These findings enable targeted parameter selection and a further optimization of both the process and the properties.
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spelling doaj.art-83677f9ef7ac4cf6a9feb2c82e30f4992023-11-30T23:31:30ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012023-01-0113115610.3390/met13010156Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast IronsAnja Holst0Stefan Kante1Andreas Leineweber2Anja Buchwalder3Institute of Materials Engineering, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 09599 Freiberg, GermanyInstitute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 09599 Freiberg, GermanyInstitute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 09599 Freiberg, GermanyInstitute of Materials Engineering, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 09599 Freiberg, GermanyUnalloyed cast iron materials exhibit low tribological and corrosive resistance. In this respect, nitriding has a wide range of applications for steels. In the case of cast iron, the advantageous properties of nitrided layers are impaired by the presence of graphite. Electron beam remelting of cast iron surfaces prior to nitriding removes graphite. The homogeneous ledeburitic microstructure within the approx. 1 mm-thick remelted layer enables the formation of a dense compound layer during subsequent nitriding. The main objective of this study is to investigate the nitriding mechanism of unalloyed ledeburitic microstructures. Due to the complex relationships, investigations were carried out on both conventional ferritic and pearlitic cast irons and Fe-based model alloys containing one to four additional alloying elements, i.e., C, Si, Mn and Cu. The iron (carbo-)nitride composition (γ’, ε) of this compound layer depends on the gas nitriding conditions, the chemical composition of the substrates and the microstructural constituents. As a result, a schematic model of the nitriding mechanism is developed that includes the effects of the nitriding parameters and alloy composition on the phase composition of the nitriding layer. These findings enable targeted parameter selection and a further optimization of both the process and the properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/1/156cast ironelectron beam remeltinggas nitridingledeburitecementiteFe carbonitrides
spellingShingle Anja Holst
Stefan Kante
Andreas Leineweber
Anja Buchwalder
Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons
Metals
cast iron
electron beam remelting
gas nitriding
ledeburite
cementite
Fe carbonitrides
title Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons
title_full Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons
title_fullStr Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons
title_full_unstemmed Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons
title_short Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons
title_sort mechanism of layer formation during gas nitriding of remelted ledeburitic surface layers on unalloyed cast irons
topic cast iron
electron beam remelting
gas nitriding
ledeburite
cementite
Fe carbonitrides
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/1/156
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