Ultrasonic Nanocrystal Surface Modification Assisted Nitriding: An Experimental Study

A powerful surface severe plastic deformation (SSPD) technique, ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) has been used to treat pure iron to induce surface nanocrystallization. Transmission electron microscopy and surface profiler were used to study the microstructure and surface roughness after UNSM. Results indicate that the surface nanocrystallization with the controllable surface roughness was obtained. After that, gas nitriding of the nanocrystalline and microcrystalline iron was carried out and compared. X-ray diffraction, micro hardness testing and energy dispersive spectroscopy were applied to investigate the phase, micro hardness and distribution of nitrogen atoms in the iron sample after nitriding. It has been found that nitriding efficiency has been significantly improved in UNSM-processed samples than that in the non-processed samples as manifested by higher hardness and higher volume fraction of the nitride phase. With appropriate nanocrystallization, nitriding can occur efficiently at temperature as low as 300 °C.