MICROSTRUCTURE, MECHANICAL AND TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF AISI 316L STAINLESS STEEL DURING SALT BATH NITRIDING

The aim of the current work was to analyse the impact of salt bath nitriding on the behavior of the tribological characteristics and surface microstructures of AISI 316L stainless steels. Nitriding was carried out at 580°C for 10 h. The tribological, structural behavior of the AISI 316L before and after salt bath nitriding was compared. The surface microstructures, tribological characteristics, as well as its surface hardness, were investigated using optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), surface profilometer, pin-on-disk wear tester and microhardness tester. In the current work the experimental results showed that a great surface hardness could be achievable through salt bath nitriding technique because of the formation of the so-called expanded Austenite (S-phase), the nitrogen diffusion region. The surface hardness of AISI 316 stainless steel after nitriding process reached 1100 HV0.025 which was six times the untreated sample hardness. The S-phase is additionally expected to the improvement of wear resistance and decrease the friction coefficient.