Open AccessA Study on the Surface Hardness Obtained by Nitriding with a Plasma Focus Machine
Author(s) -
Thiam Oun Teh,
Arwinder Singh,
Jalil Ali,
Chee An Ng,
Xue Yinn Ng,
Jun Wen Wong,
S. H. Saw,
Sing LEE
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
walailak journal of science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.146
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 2228-835X
pISSN - 1686-3933
DOI - 10.48048/wjst.2019.6268
Subject(s) - nitriding , torr , materials science , hardness , dense plasma focus , anode , plasma , ion beam , nitrogen , ion , surface modification , metallurgy , carbon fibers , ion implantation , composite material , layer (electronics) , chemistry , mechanical engineering , engineering , composite number , electrode , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
A dense plasma focus (DPF) machine, being a source of a powerful ion beam, can be useful in the modification of the surface properties of materials. Experimental investigations were carried out with a 3.3 kJ Mather-type DPF operating in nitrogen at a low chamber pressure with low carbon steel as the target material. It was found that the DPF ion beam implanted nitrogen onto the steel surface thereby causing a marked increase in surface hardness. The variation of pressure and target distances appear to affect the outcome of this nitriding technique with optimum hardness reached at the pressure setting of 1 Torr and at a target distance of 40 mm from the anode.