A reliable solution for achieving surface hardening and low friction while preserving corrosion resistance.
Plasma Nitriding for Stainless Steels
High-friction components with wear risk
Surface-hardening requirements in corrosive environments
Dimensional accuracy requirements without distortion
Porous or unsintered components with unsealed cavities
Industrial Applications
ION HEAT’s plasma nitriding systems are suitable for stainless steel components operating under specific performance demands:
ION HEAT furnaces operate as hot-wall, vacuum-based systems with controlled hydrogen and nitrogen atmospheres. This oxygen-free environment prevents:
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Decarburization
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Chromium-carbide precipitation
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Grain-boundary sensitization
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Each process begins with an optimized argon sputtering stage. Argon’s relatively heavy atoms effectively reduce and clean the passive chromium-oxide layer, enabling nitrogen diffusion into the surface without forming chromium nitrides. The result is improved hardness and corrosion performance.
The process runs below the austenitizing range (~350–450 °C), preventing chromium-carbide formation and maintaining the stainless steel’s protective passive layer, which is essential for corrosion resistance.
Plasma nitriding occurs through nitrogen diffusion in the ferritic temperature range. Because no phase transformations take place, chromium remains stable in solid solution. Dimensional integrity is maintained, minimizing the need for post-process grinding.
Thanks to the vacuum environment and low process temperature, chromium at the surface remains available. Once the part is removed from the furnace and exposed to air, a new protective passive layer forms rapidly and naturally.
Process Advantages
All stainless steels, especially austenitic grades, achieve a clean, uniform S-phase layer ready for demanding environments when treated with ION HEAT plasma nitriding systems.
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Plasma nitriding provides metallurgical advantages that competing processes cannot match. For both commercial heat treaters and captive operations, two core properties define its superior performance.
