FeSi(3.2%) and FeSi(2.1%)Al(0.5) sheets are annealed in a fluidized-bed fur
nace following a nitriding thermochemical treatment. The nitrogen diffuses
following an exponential law. Progressive prepolishings of the surface laye
r and the corresponding Mossbauer spectra lead to identification and locali
zation of the different phases present in the sample. The surface microhard
ness of the nitrided sample is higher compared to the sample treated conven
tionally. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.