UPC Tech009
UPC Tech009
Abstract faster the ammonia will dissociate. The lower the temperature,
the smaller the reactive surface and the higher the total process
Late research projects show that retained austenite, if gas flow at a given ammonia percentage on the inlet, the less
stabilized by nitrogen, has a positive influence on the fatigue ammonia will dissociate and the higher will be the nitriding
strength of work pieces. The combined diffusion profile of effect.
carbon and nitrogen applied in a carbonitriding process plays
the major role, besides the process temperature. Yet today, The carbon pick-up is as well affected, as with most of the
only the carbon potential is somehow controlled and even this ammonia decomposing, an addition of ammonia to a
is not easy to achieve. carburizing atmosphere has the effect of a dilution with
nitrogen and hydrogen further affecting the measurement of
This paper will present a new system able to measure and the carbon potential. In addition the presence of nitrogen in the
control both, the carbon potential and the nitrogen potential steel also influences the carbon activity and therefore the
independently. The knowledge of the activities of nitrogen and carbon pick-up.
carbon in iron and the effect of alloying elements on such
activities as well as the solubilities offers an easy to use Carburizing and nitriding reactions
method to apply the potentials on real steels.
Gaseous carbonitriding is performed in an endothermic
Introduction atmosphere consisting of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and
nitrogen and smaller percentages of uncracked hydrocarbons,
Gaseous carbonitriding is a termochemical treatment similar to carbon dioxide and water vapor with an addition of ammonia.
gas carburizing. The difference consists of an addition of Bischoff /3/ presented a graph displaying the concurrently
ammonia to the process gas which adds nitrogen to the active carburizing and nitriding reactions in this mixture (fig.
carburized case. The additional nitriding effect is analog to a 1). It can be seen that besides the normal carburizing reactions
nitriding process, where the nascent nitrogen is produced by and the nitriding reaction out of the ammonia dissociation
thermal dissociation of the ammonia on the catalytic surface of there is also an additional carbonitriding reaction out of
the work pieces. The nitrogen then diffuses simultaneously cyanide that is created by a reaction of carbon monoxide and
with carbon into the steel. ammonia.
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
Bischoff /3/ as well calculated the varying gas percentages in a 2 CO → [C] + CO2
carbonitriding atmosphere in equilibrium as a function of with
temperature (fig. 2).
lg(aCatm) = lg(p²CO/pCO2) + 8861/T – 9.107 /4/
The factors kch4, kBoud and khet are the carbon transfer
coefficients for the three carburizing reactions. These effects
have been described in detail by Collin et all /5/.
CO + H2 → [C] + H2O As nitrogen acts as an alloying element for carbon, the relation
between the atmosphere carbon potential and the surface
we can simplify the set of carbonitriding formulas to carbon content can be written as:
and and the relation between the atmosphere nitrogen potential and
the surface nitrogen content can be written as:
lg(aNatm) = lg(pNH3/p1.5H2) – 2943/T + 6.196 /4/
NP = cNequ = 10-0.187 * %C * NPatm /6/
All partial pressures are given in bar, temperatures in Kelvin.
The atmosphere potentials CPatm and NPatm can be determined
Alternatively, if we assume CO, CO2, H2 and H2O staying in by:
water gas equilibrium, it is possible to use the carbon activity
out of the Boudouard reaction lg(aCatm) = 2300/T –2.21 +0.15*CPatm + lg(CPatm) /7/
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
lg(NPatm) = lg(pNH3/p1.5H2) – 2210/T +3.91 /8/ It can be derived how the presence of nitrogen expands the
(converted to bar and wt %) existence range of austenite to lower temperatures. The
diagram calculates the maximum solubility of nitrogen
Example: towards epsilon nitride using the geometric exclusion model
given by Slycke and Ericsson /4/. The maximum solubility of
In a carbonitriding process at 1562°F (850°C) using Endogas carbon towards graphite is taken from standard Fe-C phase
with 20 % CO and 40 % H2 with a 5% addition of ammonia diagrams. In absence of nitrogen it can be calculated by setting
and aiming for 0.7 wt% carbon and 0.3 wt% nitrogen in an the carbon activity to 1.
iron surface the atmosphere potentials come to:
lg(aCatm=1) = 2300/T –2.21 +0.15* cCgraphite + lg(cCgraphite)
CPatm = 0.7/0.95 = 0.74
cCgraphite is also representing the soot limit in the atmosphere.
and
As this boundary will be affected by the presence of nitrogen
NPatm = 0.3/0.74 = 0.41 it might approximately be adjusted by:
KN = pNH3/p1.5H2 = 4.65*10-3 [bar-1/2] The maximum solubility of nitrogen towards epsilon between
1562°F (850°C) and 1652°F (900°C) can be calculated as:
and results into the according partial pressures:
cNeps = 10464.28/T - 0.050394 - 0.02
-3
pNH3 = 1.32 * 10 bar = 1323 ppm
and further adjusted to the presence of carbon by:
and
cNmax = cNeps * 10-0.14* %C
pH2 = 0.432 bar
Influence of alloying elements
If we would be aiming for a lower carbon content of 0.6 wt%
the NH3 in the exhaust can be reduced to 1267 ppm. Both, the activity of carbon and nitrogen will also be affected
by the alloying elements being present in regular steel. For
Solubility and phase transformations control purposes this effect will be taken into account by
applying alloying factors for both, carbon and nitrogen. The
The binary systems for carbon in iron and nitrogen in iron will alloying factors are following the definition:
not reveal the maximum solubility lines of a combined carbon
and nitrogen content. The well-known Fe-C or Fe-N phase kj = cSteel / cFe
diagrams typically display carbon and nitrogen in either
weight or atomic percentages. Figure 3 combines the two with
binary systems to a phase diagram using the total nitrogen and
carbon contents given in volume percentages, such taking into lg(cFe/cSteel ) = sum of (ci * eji)
account that both species will occupy the same interstitial
places in the iron lattice. for j = {C, N} and i = {C, N, … }, ci in wt%. The according
values for eji can be taken from table 1.
Fe-C / Fe-N Phase Diagram
The equilibrium carbon content in alloyed steel exposed to an
1600
atmosphere carbon potential will come to:
1400
cC-Steel = kC * CPatm
Temperature [°C]
1200
1000 with
800
lg(kC) = - (0.010*B% + 0.081*N% - 0.014*Al% …)
600
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
cCmax-Steel = kg * cCgraphite – MC/MB * cBoron A second possibility is the direct measurement of carbon and
nitrogen in equilibrium in iron using a wire-sensor /10/. This
with type of sensor exposes a thin iron wire (see figure 4) to the
carbonitriding atmosphere. As both, carbon and nitrogen will
lg(kg) = sum (ci * eCi) - cN * 0.103 be interstitially dissolved in the iron lattice, the electrical
resistance of the wire changes (see figure 5).
and i not in {B, N, P, S}, as these elements are interstitials like
carbon. Boron is able to replace up to 80% of carbon in
cementite, therefore the boron is treated like carbon, taking the
different weights into account (MC = 12.011, MB = 10.81).
cNmax-Steel = ke * cNeps
with
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
[N+C] content of 0.94 wt% virtual carbon. The carbon Based on the assumption of the heterogeneous water gas
potential controlled with the oxygen probe has to be adjusted reaction being the dominant carburizing reaction, the carbon
to 0.74 %C and the atmospheric nitrogen potential would be at uptake can be determined by the partial pressures of carbon
0.41 %N. monoxide and hydrogen in the process atmosphere shown in
figure 7. The curve can be approximated by:
The carbon and nitrogen flux into the surface can be expressed
as:
Fig. 6: Nitriding and de-nitriding of wire sensor and iron JC = βC * (cCequ – cC-surface) [wt%*cm/s]
shims at 1562°F (850°C). The red line indicates the controlled
carbon potential (oxygen probe); the blue line displays the and
increase in virtual carbon [N+C] in the wire. The green line
shows the ammonia percentage in the gas inlet /3/ JN = βN * (cNequ – cN-surface) [wt%*cm/s]
Iron shims (Folie 1 and 2) verified the nitrogen content, the Carbon and nitrogen diffusion
carbon content was lower as expected.
The carbon diffusivity in γ-iron is a function of temperature
and dissolved carbon.
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
As both agents are occupying the same interstitial places one calculates the carbon and nitrogen diffusion during the process
can assume that the diffusivity of carbon and nitrogen will be based on the actual carbon and nitrogen transfer coefficients
dependent on the actual amount of nitrogen and carbon /4/ and the diffusion coefficients at temperature and carbon and
already dissolved and causing the lattice to open. As a nitrogen content throughout the calculated profiles.
simplification, nitrogen will be treated as “virtual carbon”,
applying a factor taking the different dimensions into account. Temperature control offers RAMP HEAT, HEAT, HOLD,
RAMP COOL, the atmosphere control offers RAMP CP/NP,
DC = e-(18900/T+0.38) * e(4300/T-2.63)*((%C+0.62*%N)^1.5) [cm²/s] HOLD CP/NP, and several special functions, SOOT LIMIT,
AUTO BOOST, Fe2-3N LIMIT and SURFACE CONTENT
Based on a relation given by Slycke /4/ the nitrogen diffusion N/C.
coefficient of nitrogen between 1562°F (850°C) and 1652°F
(950°C) can be adjusted to: In order to achieve short process times, the proposed
atmosphere control starts with a boost stage maintaining high
DN = 0.45*e-(18900/T+0.38) * e0.62* (4300/T-2.63)*((%C+0.62*%N)^1.5) [cm²/s] potentials. During the AUTO BOOST the controller limits the
atmosphere carbon potential to a set percentage of the soot
Figure 8 displays the result of a simulation with HT-Tools limit (see above).
using the above equations. Carbon and Nitrogen profiles are
calculated. Based on the carbon and nitrogen content the CPatm <= AUTO FACTOR * cCmax
software calculates the expected hardness curve after
quenching and regular tempering. The moment the calculated surface carbon content in alloyed
steels reaches the maximum solubility towards graphite,
adjusted to the actual surface nitrogen content, the atmosphere
carbon potential will automatically be reduced (see figure 9).
The controller is able to either calculate the dilution, if the In the diffusion stage the controller will set the atmosphere
flows are known, or it can use the signals of connected potentials automatically according the DESIRED SURFACE
CONTENTS of CARBON and NITROGEN. This stage will typically
analyzers to adjust carbon monoxide and hydrogen. For
determining the nitrogen potential, the controller can be end once the desired carburizing depth is reached.
connected to a wire sensor or to an ammonia analyzer.
It is also possible to use the atmosphere potentials CPatm and
The recipe holds the composition of the steel to be treated NPatm as setpoints, in which case no automatic limitations to
calculates the alloying factors for carbon and nitrogen and soot, cementite or epsilon will be performed. This represents a
more classical process variant.
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
0.8
N
N-Profil The online diffusion calculation for carbon and nitrogen
0.60 enables a treatment to the specification such as case depth and
0.7
0.50
surface carbon and nitrogen content.
0.6
Nitrogen (wt%)
Carbon (wt%)
0.5 0.40
Acknowledgments
0.4
0.30
0.3
0.20
The author would like to thank the team of the IWT in Bremen
0.2 for giving our company the opportunity of testing and
0.1
0.10 modifying our control equipment to their needs and letting us
0.0 0.00
participate in their research.
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00
Distance (mm)
References
Fig. 10: Measured (C, N) and calculated (C-Profile, N-
Profile) carbon and nitrogen contents in an 18 CrNiMo 7/6 [1] Meinhard, E., Carbonitrieren – warum und wie?, TZ für
test piece, carbonitrided at1544°F ( 840°C) for 280 minutes. Metallbearbeitung 1982/10, pp. 23–32.
[2] Hoffmann, F., Clausen, B., Steinbacher M.,
20 Mn Cr 5 Carbonitrieren verspricht Verbesserung der Eigenschaften
von Zahnrädern, MM Das IndustrieMagazin 30/2008, pp.
1.1 0.50
C FU64G C FU84G 32-36.
0.9 C FU87G C calculated 0.40 [3] Bischoff, S., Klümper-Westkamp, H., Hoffmann, F.,
Zoch, H.-W., Development of a sensor system for gas
Nitrogen (wt%)
Carbon (wt%)
N FU64G NFU84G
0.7
N FU87G N calculated
0.30 carbonitriding – Part 1, HTM J. Heat Treatm. Mat. 65
0.5 0.20
(2010) 3, pp. 141-148
[4] Slycke, J., Ericsson, T., A study of reactions occurring
0.3 0.10 during the carbonitriding process, J. Heat Treating 1981,
Vol. 2 (No. 1), pp. 3-19
0.1 0.00
[5] Collin, R., Gunnarson, S., Thulin, D., Ein mathematisches
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40
Distance (mm)
Model zur Berechnung von Aufkohlungsprofilen bei der
Gasaufkohlung, HTM J. Heat Treatm Mat. 25 (1970) 1,
pp. 17-21
Fig. 11: Measured and calculated carbon and nitrogen [6] Literature survey: average interaction parameters for
contents in 20 MnCr 5 test pieces, carbonitrided at 1706°F carbon activity based on Houdremont, Gunnarson,
(930°C) for 240 minutes. Neumann (found in: Schröter, W., Spengler, A., Über den
Einfluß von Legierungselementen beim Einsatzhärten,
Conclusions HTM J. Heat Treatm. Mat. 57 (2002) 5, pp. 342-348),
AWT (found in: AWT-FA 5 AK 4, Die Prozessregelung
Incorporating the results of late research projects into a beim Gasaufkohlen und Einsatzhärten, Expert Verlag
process controller enables a new attempt to performing 1997, pp. 12-13) and Kunze, J. (found in: Physikalisch-
carbonitriding processes. chemische Grundlagen der Wärmebehandlung und
Randschichttechnik, Lehrblätter zur Vorlesung , 2000),
The ability to measure and control both, the carbon and average interaction parameters for nitrogen activity based
nitrogen potential in the atmosphere takes the uncertainty of on Zheng (found in: Zheng, X., Nitrogen solubility in
the ammonia dissociation, caused by changing surface iron-base alloys and powder metallurgy of high nitrogen
conditions out of the equation. Besides obvious advantages in stainless steels, Diss. ETH No. 9488, 1991) and Kunze, J.
the process control and the ability to reproduce batch after (see above)
batch, this will also be valid if furnaces are used for [7] DIN 17 022 Part 3 p. 21, DIN-Taschenbuch 218, Beuth
carburizing and carbonitriding processes where the NP control Verlag, 1998
can shorten formation times. [8] Fromm, E., Gebhardt, E., Gase und Kohlenstoff in
Metallen, Springer-Verlag 1976, pp. 581-608
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PAPER: Independently controlled Carbon and Nitrogen Potential: a new approach to Carbonitriding processes
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