Low temperature nitriding of iron by alternating current pretreatment

Iron by pretreatment with the surface alternating current nanocrystalline treatment was successfully nitrided at 573 K, which has been decreased to 200 K compared with the conventional gaseous nitriding temperature. The surface alternating current nanocrystalline treatment induces atom of upper surface to recombine leading to form nanograins layer, which supplies extra driving force for the nitride formation process. It is an important significance to treat the geometric complex and the precision workpieces. The samples are characterized by microhardness tester, metallographic testing and X-ray diffraction.