<i>In situ</i>synchrotron radiation diffraction study of low carbon steel during ion nitriding

Abstract

The volume close to the surface of materials subjected to ion implantation or ion diffusion exhibits structural transformations that are usually studied by x-ray diffraction. In order to characterize the kinetic aspects of structural transformations in low carbon AISI 1010 steel during ion nitriding, an in situ synchrotron radiation diffraction study was performed. An experimental set-up, a specially designed reactor, was constructed for x-ray measurements in real time. The variation in the lattice parameter with time of the initial Fe- phase was attributed to the heating effect produced by the action of an electric discharge during the first stages of the process. The analysis of the x-ray diffraction patterns indicates the formation of several iron nitrides. The Fe3N phase exhibits a progressive decrease in the interplanar distances, which is clearly a different behaviour with respect to the other observed phases, even considering a phase with nearly the same stoichiometry.