Intermediate temperature decomposition of supercooled high nitrogen austenite

The mechanism of decomposition transformation of Fe-N the austenite system has been investigated. An improved process of austenitic nitriding, achieved by applying controlled nitrogen potential theory, allowed high nitrogen austenite samples with a uniform nitrogen concentration to be produced. The key point of this gas nitriding process is to keep the atmosphere at very low nitrogen potential. As a result, the nitride layer on the surface of the pure iron foil was reduced and pure iron ferrite was thoroughly nitrided, forming high N austenite (γ-Fe[N]) that is thermally stable at room temperature. The nitrogen concentration of this austenite was determined as 9·32 at.-%, which is almost the maximum value achievable in Fe-N austenite. © 2013 IHTSE Partnership.