Improvement of erosion and erosion–corrosion resistance of AISI420 stainless steel by low temperature plasma nitriding

Plasma nitriding experiments were carried out with DC-pulsed plasma in 25% N2 + 75% H2 atmosphere at low temperature (350 °C) and normal temperature (550 °C) for 15 h. The composition, microstructure, microhardness profiles, residual stress profiles and electrochemical impedance spectrum analyses of the nitrided samples were examined. The influence of plasma nitriding on the erosion and erosion–corrosion resistance of AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel was investigated using a jet solid particle erosion tester and a slurry erosion–corrosion tester. Results showed that the 350 °C nitriding layer was dominated by ɛ-Fe3N and αN phase, a supersaturated nitrogen solid solution. However, nitrogen would react with Cr in the steel to form CrN precipitates directly during 550 °C nitriding, which would lead to the depletion of Cr in the solid solution phase of the nitrided layer. Both 350 and 550 °C plasma nitriding could improve the erosion resistance of AISI420 stainless steel under dry erosion, but the former showed better results. In both neutral and acid environment, while the erosion–corrosion resistance of AISI 420 was improved by means of 350 °C nitriding, it was decreased through 550 °C nitriding.