Comparative Study on the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Un-nitriding and Nitriding of 430 Ferritic Stainless Steel

This study compares the mechanical and physical properties of un-nitriding and nitriding of 430 ferritic stainless steel. The 430 ferritic stainless steel samples are nitrided via gas nitriding at high temperature of 1200oC for 4 hours in purified nitrogen. Another part of the samples is nitride and quenched at the same time. The two samples were compared to the as received one. Martensite layer can be seen on the surface layer of the nitride samples while the nitride and quenched samples resulted in martensite and austenite phase. The hardness of the nitrided 430 ferritic stainless steel is higher than the as –received ferritic stainless steel. The nitride and quenched stainless steel sample shows a slightly higher in hardness than the nitride only. Thus, the nitriding process enhances the mechanical properties of the 430 ferritic stainless steel