Structure and Topography Modifications of Treated AISI 316LN Stainless Steel Surfaces after Friction in Dry Sliding Contact by Case Hardening Process

Abstract

Austenitic stainless is having corrosion resistance property, but certain mechanical applications require improved resistance to wear, inferior cavitation, susceptibility to sensitization. These steels have numerous favourable circumstances for great cryogenic - properties, anti-corrosion, and bio-compatibility. So these steels have a broad application in low temperature innovation, saltwater applications, nourishment industry, bio-medicine, petro-chemical handling, and so forth when alloyed with nitrogen, austenitic treated steels has a progressively steady austenite structure, better mechanical properties and better wear opposition, which has animated extraordinary enthusiasm for this exploration work. Many surface hardening techniques are available, the best surface modification technique is chosen for improved service performance. Surface engineering is a technique to alter the surface of a material by mechanical or microchemical method without affecting the material properties. The alterations are done on the surfaces subjected to the liquid nitriding process to produce a hardened surface. Chosen for this research workbased on their wide application, the wear behaviour of AISI 316LN stainless steels was investigated. Of the various surface hardening techniques available, nitriding is chosen, so that these nitrogen gets penetrated into the material, in which hard iron chromium nitrides are formed at the surface level. AISI 316LN specimens were subjected to salt bath nitriding process. The specimens were nitrided to 60 minutes, 120 minutes and 180 minutes respectively. The specimens were undergone with wear tests by standardized tribiological wear machine and finally the metallographic studies were made.