Kinetics of ion carbonitriding of constructional steels with direct hardening

1. The action of a glow discharge plasma in carbonitriding of steel provides high kinetic effectiveness of the process, the parameters of which exceed those of vacuum carburizing by no less than 1.5 times and of gas carburizing by no less than 2.0 times at the same temperatures. 2. To provide the optimum structure of the hardened case in ion carbonitriding cyclic supply of the hydrocarbon gas is necessary. 3. Ion carbonitriding with direct quenching is most effective for type 18KhGT, 25KhGT, and 25KhGM alloy steels and is less effective for type 20Kh steels.