Funct. Mater. 2026; 32 (1): 106-111.

doi:https://doi.org/10.15407/fm33.01.106

Hydrogen-free nitriding of carbon steels and gray cast irons pre-hydrogenated in a glow discharge

D.V. Zdorenko, M.S. Stechyshyn, A.V. Martynyuk, N.M.Stechyshyna, Yu.V. Tsymbalyuk

Khmelnytskyi National University, 11 Instytutska Street, 29016, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine

Abstract: 

A glow discharge nitriding method has been developed, which includes preliminary hydrogenation of metal surfaces and promotes the intensification of diffusion processes during nitriding in a plasma chamber. Both hydrogenation and nitriding processes are carried out sequentially in the same discharge chamber and do not require any additional equipment. The combination of hydrogenation and subsequent glow discharge nitriding is expected to increase the number of phase structural components of the nitrided layer, particularly the ε- and γ´-phases, which will significantly improve its physicochemical and operational properties such as strength, ductility, corrosion resistance, and fatigue strength. The increase in the thickness of the nitride layer reaches its maximum at an argon content of 20%. With a further increase in argon content, the thickness of the nitride layer decreases for all studied materials. This is presumably due to internal stresses exceeding the strength limits of the materials, resulting in relaxation through massive dislocation emission to the surface, micropore formation, and a decrease in hydrogen pressure in internal voids—referred to as collectors. Preliminary ion-plasma hydrogenation in an environment with 20% argon content followed by glow discharge nitriding made it possible to increase the thickness of the nitride layer in the studied materials by approximately 1.7 times. Additionally, corrosion-mechanical wear resistance in a buffer solution of citric acid with pH 6.5 increased by 1.45 to 1.62 times compared to conventional methods. Cavitation–erosion resistance in a 3% NaCl solution increased by 4.7, 5.3, and 8.9 times for steels 20, 45, and cast iron SCH 20, respectively.

Keywords: 
hydrogenation, nitriding, wear resistance, cavitation-erosion resistance. 3. Due to the aforementioned factors, wear resistance under friction in an acidic environment increased by 1.5–1.6 times for structural steels 45, 40Kh, and gray cast iron SCh20 compared to traditional nitriding technology without preliminary hydrogenation. Cavitation-erosion resistance in a 3% NaCl solution increased by 4.7, 5.3, and 8.9 times for steels 20, 45, and gray cast iron SCh20, respectively.

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