Nitrocarburizing coatings

Nitrocarburizing coatings are coatings that are created by introducing nitrogen and carbon into the surface of a workpiece. This process, known as nitrocarburizing, is often used in surface technology to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of components.

During the nitrocarburizing process, the workpiece is placed in an environment with nitrogen and carbon sources, typically in the form of gases or solids. Under certain temperature and pressure conditions, nitrogen and carbon atoms diffuse into the surface of the workpiece, forming nitrides and carbides. These compounds change the chemical composition and microstructure of the surface, thereby improving its hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

Nitrocarburizing is often applied to steels in order to optimize their surface properties. The resulting nitrocarburized layers can have a higher hardness than conventional steels and are therefore better protected against wear. They can also offer improved heat and corrosion resistance.

These coatings are used in a variety of industries, including the automotive, tooling, aerospace and oil and gas industries. Examples of components that can be coated with nitrocarburized coatings include transmission parts, crankshafts, bearings and drills. Overall, nitrocarburizing is an important technique in surface technology that makes it possible to improve the performance and service life of components by creating wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings.