Ion and Gas Nitriding Applied to Steel Tool for Hot Work X38CrMoV5 Nitriding Type: Impact on the Wear Resistance

Abstract

The present work is to characterize both processes of thermochemical treatments: plasma nitriding and gas. The tests were carried out in collaboration with the Franco-Tunisian heat treatment (F3T) applied to a widely used steel in industrial production as a tool for hot work on X38CrMoV5 (AISI H13). The material underwent a first cycle of hardening heat treatment at 1030℃ followed by two successive incomes at 550℃ and 590℃. After nitriding (ion and gas), the quantification of wear was performed in the laboratory of tribology at SUPMECA (St. Ouen). After defining the test conditions on the alternative tribometer ensuring on one hand a quantitatively sufficient wear and avoiding on the other hand, the phenomenon of jamming. The conditions chosen are: 58.8 N load, frequency 0.5 Hz, friction coefficient μ = 0.5. The wear tracks were scanned using the profilometer Talysurf 5 M type, which allowed us to assess the volume used and the wear rate. Moreover, these tracks were characterized by metallography. What emerges from this work is that the control parameters of ion nitriding ensures a better depth of treatment for the same holding time with a total absence of the white layer known for chipping and fragility.