On the mechanisms of a plasma diffusion treatment of metallic substrates with controlled actice screen plasma nitriding

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Horst Biermann; Professor Dr. Jürgen Röpcke
• Subject Area: Coating and Surface Technology
• Term: from 2011 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 211499277

The research project aims to contribute to increase knowledge of the essential mechanisms of plasma diffusion treatment of ferrous materials with an active screen in different media, particularly carbon-containing media. The development of sound knowledge of the active screen plasma treatment, depending on the effective mechanisms serves a better understanding of the plasma processes. The study of the dependencies between the reactions occurring in the plasma and on the nitriding results obtained on selected ferrous materials achieves the foundations for the targeted production of nitrided layers and nitrocarburized cases with a defined layer structure on different ferrous alloys. Their knowledge is essential for the detachment of the current empirical process control through a science-based controlled process, the controlled plasma nitriding and nitrocarburizing.The analysis of the main mechanisms makes the application of powerful methods of plasma diagnostics necessary. As is apparent from the work report, the close interdisciplinary cooperation between the INP Greifswald plasma physicists and materials engineers from the IWT Freiberg in the first funding period was very beneficial. By the first application of in situLaser spectroscopy (LAS) in combination with ex-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the Langmuir probe diagnostic for the analysis of the basic processes of the plasma diffusion treatment a contribution to a better understanding of the general, for this process characteristic mechanisms was done. This is especially true for the interpretation of the effectof CO2 and CH4 additions to the process gas. On the basis of the new insights gained through the continued cooperation a new understanding of the processes is expected.The development of a concept for industrially applicable methods of process monitoring and control is part of the work for plasma diagnostics.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr.-Ing. Heinz-Joachim Spies