The Influence of Frictional Treatment and Low-Temperature Plasma Carburizing on the Structure and Phase Composition of Metastable Austenitic Steel

Abstract: The features of the structure and phase composition of corrosion-resistant austenitic chromium–nickel steel (16.80 wt % Cr, 8.44 wt % Ni) subjected to carburizing in electron beam plasma at temperatures of 350 and 500°C, frictional treatment with a sliding indenter, and a combination of frictional treatment and plasma carburizing have been considered. It has been established that plasma carburizing results in the formation of a modified surface layer consisting of carbon-saturated austenite and carbides (Cr23C6, Fe3C); in this case, the formation of γC-phase occurs only at a temperature of 350°C. The depth of a modified layer increases with an increase in the carburizing temperature. It has been shown that it is useful to perform combined frictional treatment and plasma carburizing at a carburizing temperature of 350°C, since in this case the deformation-induced structure formed as a result of frictional treatment is preserved, and the precipitated carbides remain highly dispersed. In this case, frictional treatment should provide the formation of the deepest possible diffusion-active layer with a dispersed structure. © 2023, The Author(s).Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, UB RASElectron scanning microscopy was performed at the Plastometriya Center of the Collaborative Access at the Institute of Engineering Science, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences