Intensified plasma-assisted nitriding of AISI 316L stainless steel

In the present study, processing of AISI 316L stainless steel (316ss) has been conducted by intensified plasma-assisted processing (IPAP). The processing parameters (bias voltage, current density, chamber pressure and substrate temperature) of IPAP have been varied in an effort to determine which conditions lead to the formation of a single-phase structure, ‘m’ phase, and evaluate the properties of this phase. The structural characteristics of the nitrided layers produced by IPAP have been investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. Nanoindentation experiments have been performed over cross-section to determine hardness and elastic modulus profiles. Dry sliding wear and potentiodynamic aqueous corrosion experiments have been conducted to characterize 316ss nitrided by IPAP. IPAP has been successful in producing single-phase m with high hardness and in shorter processing time compared to diode plasma nitriding. The IPAP produced single-phase nitrided layer was found to possess higher hardness (fourfold increase over the unprocessed alloy), excellent wear and corrosion resistance.