EFFECT OF THE NATURE OF NITRIDE PHASES ON THE MICRO ABRASION OF PLASMA NITRIDED SINTERED IRON

摘要

In the present investigation, the effect of plasma nitriding on the micro abrasion behavior of sintered unalloyed iron is investigated. Plasma nitriding was carried out using two different sets of operative parameters in order to produce microstructures composed of different dominant iron nitrides, e.g. Fe_4N (γ') and Fe_(2-3)N (ε), phases. Micro abrasive wear tests were carried out in a "free ball" micro abrasion tester using SiC slurries. The tribological parameters were kept constant during the tests. The e phase microstructures presented a superior abrasion resistance.