The nitrogen transport in austenitic stainless steel at moderate temperatures

Abstract

A model for the transport of nitrogen in austenitic stainless steel at temperatures around 400 °C is presented and discussed. The model considers the diffusion of nitrogen under the influence of trapping and detrapping at trap sites formed by local chromium. Nitrogen depth profiles simulated on the basis of the model with diffusion and detrapping activation energies of 1.1 and 1.45 eV, respectively, are in good agreement with experimental nitrogen profiles.