Plasma immersion ion implantation: Innovative technology for surface treatment of stainless steels

Plasma immersion ion implantation technology was used to produce expanded a ustenite and to study the influence of treatment conditions and starting ma terial on its formation and structure. Standard materials characterisation techniques, XRD, TEM, conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy, and Ruthe rford backscatter spectrometry analysis were used to determine the structur e of the layers, thereby revealing the complex structure of expanded austen ite. The properties of the expanded austenite layers (hardness, wear; and c orrosion) were determined and correlated with the structure. Most work was concentrated on the austenitic stainless steel X6CrNiTi1810 after treatment s at 300 and 400 degrees C. Based on these results, the possibilities of in fluencing properties by varying the process conditions are discussed.