Mechanical and tribological properties of AISI 304 stainless steel nitrided by glow discharge compared to ion implantation and plasma immersion ion implantation

Results about mechanical and tribological behavior of AISI 304 stainless steel nitrided by three different ion beam processes - glow discharge (GD), ion implantation (II) and plasma immersion ion implantation (PI3) are reported. Expanded austenite gamma(N) and nitrides phases (Fe2+xN, gamma'-Fe4N and Cr-N) were identified as a function of nitriding conditions. Hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E) profiles were obtained by instrumented penetration. The hardness reached values as high as 21 GPa by PI3. Tribological behavior was studied by reciprocating sliding tests with a WC (Co) ball at room temperature (RT) in dry condition. Different wear regimes were identified in the friction coefficient profiles. The profile form and the running-in distance are strongly dependent on the nitriding process. Adhesive and abrasive wear components can be inferred from these friction profiles. Hardness and tribological performance, after the nitriding processes, are discussed in terms of surface microstructure. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.