Austenitic stainless steel type AISI 316LN (316LN SS) material has been nitrided by three different nitride techniques such as Sursulf, Gas and Plasma nitriding. The 316LN SS samples have been prepared with two different surface roughnesses. The effects of surface roughness on nitriding with respect to formation of coating, case depth, increase in surface hardness and coating adhesion strength have been evaluated. The coating thickness was high for mirror polished samples than ground samples for all nitriding techniques. The coating thickness was very high (76.5µm) for plasma nitrided (PN) mirror polished sample and thin (22.5µm) & uneven for Sursulf Nitrided (SSN) ground sample. However, the SSN sample produces high surface hardness and good adhesion strength than PN. The Gas nitided (GN) sample produces the moderate result between SSN and PN.

C.S. Chandrasekhara Murthy

Papers

Performance studies on salt bath treated low-carbon steel gears