Effect of phosphorus on vacuum carburising depth of iron compacts

The work was aimed at determining the effect of phosphorus on vacuum carburising of iron compacts with density over 7.2 gcm−3. An attempt was made to determine the effectiveness of phosphorus on carbon diffusion rate into the material of compacts with no additional effect of interconnected porosity. Vacuum carburising of compacts, made with a blend of powders ASC100.29 and PASC60, was carried out at 1050 °C in a laboratory vacuum furnace. The effect of phosphorus content within 0.1% to 0.6% on the vacuum carburising depth was analysed. It was found that the phosphorus addition up to 0.4% increased the carburising depth by ca. 20% in comparison with the compacts of pure iron.