Investigation of parameters of inductively coupled plasma and its use in steel nitriding

• Published in: Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Physics Vol. 80; no. 2; pp. 175 - 179
• Main Authors: Meshcheryakova, E. A., Kaziev, A. V., Zibrov, M. S., Stepanova, T. V., Berdnikova, M. M., Kharkov, M. M., Pisarev, A. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Allerton Press 01.02.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alloys; Bias; Discharge; Electric potential; Emission analysis; Floating structures; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inductively coupled plasma; Nitriding; Nuclear Physics; Optical emission spectroscopy; Optical properties; Partial pressure; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Plasma; Pressure ratio; Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference “Ion-Surface Interaction (ISI-2015)”; Spectroscopic analysis; Structural steels; Surface hardness; Inductively Couple Plasma; Plasma Nitriding; Langmuir Probe; Bias Voltage; Discharge Chamber
• ISSN: 1062-8738; 1934-9432
• DOI: 10.3103/S1062873816020192

Parameters of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) discharges in a mixture of gases N 2 , H 2 , and Ar at a total pressure of 1.5 × 10 –3 mbar and a partial pressure ratio N 2 : H 2 : Ar = 2: 12: 1 are discussed. The plasma properties are analyzed using Langmuir probes and optical emission spectroscopy. The ICP discharge is used for the nitriding of specimens made of Russian grade 30ChGSA structural steel. The nitriding experiments are performed at different bias voltages V b in the range of–200 V to +100 V with respect to the walls of the discharge chamber. The surface hardness of the treated specimens depends substantially on the bias voltage, being much higher than the initial value in all cases. The obtained results demonstrate the possibility of increasing the surface hardness up to 1000 HV (4–5 times the initial values) at the bias voltage equal to the floating potential.