Formation of Diffusion Layers by Anode Plasma Electrolytic Nitrocarburizing of Low-Carbon Steel

The structure of the low-carbon steel after plasma electrolytic nitrocarburizing in the electrolyte containing acetonitrile was investigated. The cross-sectional microstructure, composition, and phase constituents of a modified layer under different processing conditions were characterized. It is shown that the electrolyte that contained ammonium chloride and acetonitrile provides the saturation of steel with nitrogen and carbon and the formation of the Fe₄N and FeN_0.05 nitrides, Fe₄C carbide and other phases. The nitrogen diffusion decreases the austenitization temperature and results in the formation of martensite after the sample cooling in the electrolyte. The formation of a carbon and nitrogen source in a vapor-gas envelope (VGE) is investigated. The proposed mechanism includes evaporation of acetonitrile in the VGE, its adsorption on an anode with the following thermal decomposition, and also the acetonitrile reduction to amine with subsequent hydrolysis to ethanol that is determined with the use of chromatographic method. The aqueous solution that contained 10 wt.% NH₄Cl and 10 wt.% CH₃CN allows one to obtain the nitrocarburized layer with the thickness of 0.22 mm and microhardness up to 740 HV during 10 min at 850 °C. This treatment regime leads to the decrease in the surface roughness of steel R _a from 1.01 μm to 0.17 μm.