The Effect of Surface Finish on Low-Temperature Acetylene-Based Carburization of 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel

We observed a strong influence of surface finish on the efficacy of low-temperature acetylene-based carburization of AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel. Steel coupons were prepared with different surface finishes prior to carburization, from P400 SiC grit paper to 1- µ m-diameter-diamond-paste. Th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Metallurgical and materials transactions. B, Process metallurgy and materials processing science Process metallurgy and materials processing science, 2014-12, Vol.45 (6), p.2338-2345
Main Authors: Ge, Yindong, Ernst, Frank, Kahn, Harold, Heuer, Arthur H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Austenitic stainless steel
Austenitic stainless steels
Carbon
Carburizing
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry and Materials Science
Coarsening
Deformation mechanisms
Exact sciences and technology
Heat resistant steels
Heat treatment
Low temperature physics
Materials Science
Metallic Materials
Metals. Metallurgy
Nanotechnology
Production of metals
Production techniques
Scanning electron microscopy
Silicon carbide
Steels
Structural Materials
Surface chemistry
Surface finish
Surfaces and Interfaces
Thermochemical treatment and diffusion treatment
Thin Films
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We observed a strong influence of surface finish on the efficacy of low-temperature acetylene-based carburization of AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel. Steel coupons were prepared with different surface finishes prior to carburization, from P400 SiC grit paper to 1- µ m-diameter-diamond-paste. The samples with the finer surface finish developed a thicker “case” (a carbon-rich hardened surface layer) and a larger surface carbon concentration. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the differences arose mainly from the nature of the deformation-induced disturbed layer on the steel surface. A thick (>400 nm) disturbed layer consisting of nano-crystalline grains (≈10 nm diameter) inhibits acetylene-based carburization. The experimental observations can be explained by assuming that during machining or coarse polishing, the surface oxide layer is broken up and becomes incorporated into the deformation-induced disturbed layer. The incorporated oxide-rich films retard or completely prevent the ingress of carbon into the stainless steel.
ISSN:1073-5615
1543-1916
DOI:10.1007/s11663-014-0141-9