Wear resistance of glow-discharge nitrided 08Х18Н10 steel

The influence of the modes of anhydrous nitriding of 08Kh18N10 steel on the phase com­po­sition, distribution of the main alloying elements, and the content of nitrogen in the nitride layer, microhardness distribution and specific wear of nitrided austenitic stainless steel was investigated. The conducted studies showed that with an increase in the tempe­rature and duration of nitriding of 08Kh18N10 steel, simultaneously with the increase in the thickness of the nitrided layer, the nitrogen content in it decreases and a drop in the hard­ness of the upper part of the nitride zone is observed. At the same time the hardness gra­dually increases to the maximum values typical of the boundary of the nitride and diffu­sion zones. Laboratory tests on hydroabrasive wear showed that, compared to the initial state, the wear resistance of 08Kh18N10 steel, nitrided at P = 120 Pa, T = 600°C for 3 h, increased twofold. Industrial tests of centrifuge rotors at processing plant confirmed the results of laboratory studies.