Activated solution nitriding of stainless steel

Solution nitriding is air attractive method for improving the tribologic an d chemical loadability of components and teals made of stainless steel. A n ovel two-step process described here offers a means qi optimizing the solut ion nitriding process. If consists of activating the surface by nitriding a t temperatures under 600 degrees C (precipitation nitriding), followed by a diffusion treatment at a material-specific temperature ranging between 107 0 and 1150 degrees C. The authors reveal that surface activation roughly ha lves the treatment time needed for the high-temperature step.