Sequential thermochemical treatments

As a result of the growing need for materials with better chemical, mechanical, and tribological properties, there has been constant progress in surface modification techniques in recent decades, as these enable new applications for materials. Among the surface modification techniques are surface thermochemical plasma treatments. This paper first presents a brief review of the main thermochemical treatments performed in industry (carburizing, nitriding, and nitrocarburizing) as well as the application of these treatments using plasma technology. The paper then presents a new approach to the use of plasma thermochemical treatments, now employing the sequential use of these treatments on a single material. The paper evaluates sequential nitriding/carburizing and nitrocarburizing/carburizing treatments using AISI 1005 steel as a substrate. The microstructural characterization of the treated material was performed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, in addition to X-ray diffraction. Microhardness analyses were also performed.