Nitriding in a Helicon Discharge as a Promising Technique for Changing the Surface Properties of Steel Parts

Abstract

The main types of state-of-the-art nitriding technologies, their advantages and disadvantages are considered. An innovative technology of ion nitriding in high-frequency helicon-discharge plasma is proposed. The hardening of steel samples via ion nitriding in a helicon discharge is experimentally revealed that (in a wide range of operating parameters) allows us to have an influence on the process of diffusion saturation with nitrogen atoms. The results of microhardness measurements along the depth of nitrided steel samples are presented (the steel grade is C45 according to the European standard EN 10027). The possibility of controlling the gradient of the tribotechnical properties of friction parts by changing the parameters of the technological process of ion nitriding in a helicon discharge is shown.

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