HEAT TREATMENT METHOD FOR A VEHICLE COMPONENT

Abstract

A heat treatment method of a component for a vehicle includes: heating an inner space of a heat treatment furnace in which a component for a vehicle is disposed in the inner space; stabilizing hydrogen (H.sub.2) by injecting the H.sub.2 into the inner space; and performing nitrification heat treatment for the component by injecting only ammonia (NH.sub.3) into the inner space after the stabilizing. The heat treatment method may adjust the degree of vacuum and the flow rate instead of a Kn without additionally injecting the H.sub.2 gas into an NH.sub.3 gas, thereby implementing the nitrification heat treatment of a quality similar to that of a conventional nitrification heat treatment for a short time.

Claims

1. A heat treatment method of a component for a vehicle, the heat treatment method comprising: heating an inner space of a heat treatment furnace in which a component for a vehicle is disposed in the inner space; stabilizing hydrogen (H.sub.2) by injecting the H.sub.2 into the inner space; and performing the nitrification heat treatment for the component by injecting only ammonia (NH.sub.3) into the inner space after the stabilizing.

2. The heat treatment method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the nitrification heat treatment injects the NH.sub.3 at a speed of 0.5 to 6 m.sup.3/h.

3. The heat treatment method of claim 2, wherein the performing of the nitrification heat treatment is performed by maintaining a pressure of the inner space at 230 to 400 torr.

4. The heat treatment method of claim 3, wherein the performing of the nitrification heat treatment is performed in a state where a temperature of the inner space is 400 to 600° C. by the heating.

5. The heat treatment method of claim 4, wherein the performing of the nitrification heat treatment is performed for 6 to 15 hours.

6. The heat treatment method of claim 3, wherein the stabilizing injects the H.sub.2 at a speed of 0.5 to 15 m.sup.3/h.

7. The heat treatment method of claim 6, wherein the stabilizing is performed by maintaining the pressure of the inner space at 230 to 400 torr.

8. The heat treatment method of claim 7, wherein the stabilizing is performed in a state where a temperature of the inner space is 400 to 600° C. by the heating.

9. The heat treatment method of claim 8, wherein the stabilizing is performed within 2 hours.

10. The heat treatment method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of a compound layer formed on a surface of the component subjected to the nitrification heat treatment is 8 to 20 μm.

11. The heat treatment method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of a pore layer formed on a surface of the component subjected to the nitrification heat treatment is 2 to 5 μm.

12. The heat treatment method of claim 1, wherein a surface hardness of the component subjected to the nitrification heat treatment is 620 to 710 Hv.

13. The heat treatment method of claim 1, wherein a depth of a diffusion layer of a surface of the component subjected to the nitrification heat treatment is 0.5 mm or less.

14. The heat treatment method of claim 1, wherein a gamma prime (γ′) phase of a microstructure of a surface of the component subjected to the nitrification heat treatment is 50 to 90%.

15. A heat treatment method of a component for a vehicle, the heat treatment method comprising: in a state where an inner space of a heat treatment furnace, in which a component for a vehicle is disposed in the inner space, is maintained at 400 to 600° C., the component is subjected to nitrification heat treatment by injecting only ammonia (NH.sub.3) into the inner space at a speed of 0.5 to 6 m.sup.3/h.

16. The heat treatment method of claim 15, wherein the nitrification heat treatment is performed by maintaining a pressure of the inner space at 230 to 400 torr.

17. The heat treatment method of claim 16, wherein the performing of the nitrification heat treatment is performed for 6 to 15 hours.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between the temperature, atmospheric pressure, and the like of a heat treatment method according to the present disclosure with those of patented processes of the related art.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a difference in principle between the heat treatment method according to the present disclosure and the conventional method.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a microstructure by the heat treatment of Comparative Example 1 of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a microstructure by the heat treatment of Comparative Example 1 of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a microstructure by the heat treatment of Example 2 of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a microstructure by the heat treatment of Example 4 of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0033] To fully understand the present disclosure, the operational advantages of the present disclosure, and the object achieved by the practice of the present disclosure, reference should made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure and the contents described in the accompanying drawings.

[0034] In describing the disclosed embodiment of the present disclosure, the description of the known technology or the repetitive description capable of unnecessarily obscuring the gist of the present disclosure has been reduced or omitted.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between the temperature, atmospheric pressure, and the like of a heat treatment method according to the present disclosure with those of related art patented processes.

[0036] Hereinafter, a heat treatment method of a component for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0037] In the related art, heat treatment for the durability of a component for a vehicle performs the heat treatment by additionally injecting nitrogen (N.sub.2) to ammonia (NH.sub.3) by a low-pressure process to adjust an equilibrium condition based on the ammonia resolution (Kn) to control the quality of a compound layer.

[0038] An ammonia resolution reaction formula is as follows.

NH.sub.3.fwdarw.N+2/3H.sub.2

[0039] Further, the reaction equilibrium constant (K) is as follows.

K=P.sub.NH3/{[N]+PH.sub.2.sup.2/3}

[0040] Therefore, the ammonia resolution (Kn) is as follows.

Kn=K×[N]=P NH.sub.3/P H.sub.2.sup.2/3

[0041] Therefore, if the Kn is high, the partial pressure of the NH.sub.3 is high, such that an available nitrogen amount is increased.

[0042] Upon the real heat treatment, the Kn is controlled by injecting N.sub.2 or hydrogen (H.sub.2), and the Kn is increased when N.sub.2 is injected and the Kn is decreased when H.sub.2 is injected.

[0043] The heat treatment condition according to the related art is summarized in Table 1 below. The related art 1 is the low-pressure process but the process is configured in the form of adding N.sub.2 to NH.sub.3 to adjust the Kn and controlling the physical property of the compound.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Atmospheric Flow Items Temperature Gas pressure rate Time Remark Related Heating: Heating: N.sub.2 or Heating: X x Heating: X Primary 400~600° C. inert gas Primary Primary art 1 Primary Primary nitrification: nitrification: nitrification: nitrification: 10~800 torr 1~6 hours 400~600° C. NH.sub.3 + N.sub.2 Secondary Secondary Secondary Secondary nitrification: nitrification: 2 nitrification: nitrification: N.sub.2 400~800 torr hours or more 400~600° C. Related Heating: Heating: NH.sub.3 Heating: X x Heating: Nitrified art 2 480~560° C. Nitrification: Nitrification 40~80 minutes gas NH.sub.3 nitrification: NH.sub.3 + N.sub.3 + N.sub.2O 500~300 mbar Nitrification: 50~80% 480~560° C. Cooling: N.sub.2 (38.5~230.9 torr) 60~120 N.sub.2 (final heating Oxidation: Cooling: x minutes 10~30% temperature N.sub.2 + H.sub.2O Oxidation: x Cooling: N.sub.2O maintenance) 10~30 minutes  5~20% Cooling: final Oxidation: heating 10~50 minutes temperature- 10~30° C. Oxidation: final cooling maintenance Related Primary heating Primary heat Primary heat x Primary: Secondary/ art 3 treatment: treatment: N.sub.2 treatment: 0.5~1.2 15~25 minutes tertiary 440~490° C. Secondary heat atmospheric Secondary: gases Secondary treatment: pressure  8~13minutes N.sub.2 50% heating N.sub.2 + CO.sub.2 (390~936 torr) Tertiary: CO.sub.2 50% treatment: Tertiary heat Secondary heat 15~25 minutes Primary 500~580° C. treatment: treatment: 0.8~1.2 Primary nitrification Tertiary heating N.sub.2 + CO.sub.2 atmospheric nitrification: gases treatment: Primary pressure 45~120 NH3 550~580° C. nitrification: Tertiary heat minutes 55~90% Primary NH.sub.3 + CO.sub.2 + N.sub.2 treatment: x Secondary: CO.sub.2 nitrification: Secondary Primary 15~25 minutes  5~10% tertiary heating nitrification: nitrification: Tertiary: x N.sub.2 treatment x(discharge) 1.2~3.5 Fourth: 30~60  5~35% temperature Tertiary atmospheric minutes maintenance nitrification: pressure Secondary x(maintenance) (936~2730 torr) nitrification: Cooling: N.sub.2 Secondary temperature nitrification: maintenance x(discharge) Tertiary Tertiary nitrification: nitrification: 450~500° C. x(maintenance) Cooling 0° C. Cooling: x Related Heating: Heating: N.sub.2 after Heating: vacuum x Heating: X Oxidizing art 4 180~350° C. vacuum discharge Pre-oxidation: gases Pre-oxidation: x Pre-oxidation: Pre-oxidation: X 30~60 minutes NOx Secondary oxidizing gas Secondary Secondary COx heating: x Secondary heating: vacuum heating: X air Nitrification: heating: NH.sub.3 exhaust Nitrification: 450~600° C. Nutrification: Nitrification: X Cooling and NH.sub.3 + N.sub.2 + 50~1000 mbar Cooling and oxidation: oxidizing Cooling and oxidation: 450~520° C. gas oxidation: 1 5~100 minutes Cooling: Cooling and atmospheric Cooling: x oxidation oxidation: H.sub.2O pressure Cooling: N.sub.2 Cooling: vacuum exhaust

[0044] Unlike the aforementioned related arts, the present disclosure injects only the ammonia gas to adjust the atmospheric pressure and the flow rate within a heat treatment furnace to control the quality (reaction speed) of the compound layer.

[0045] In other words, the reaction (decomposition) speed of the gas is inversely proportional to the density of the gas molecules (density ↑.fwdarw. collision between the gas molecules ↑.fwdarw. reaction speed ↓).

[0046] Further, the reaction (decomposition) speed of the gas is inversely proportional to the gas flow speed within the furnace (gas speed ↑.fwdarw. collision between gas molecules-component ↑.fwdarw. reaction speed ↓).

[0047] Using the above, the present disclosure adjusts the ammonia decomposition speed through the combination of the temperature upon the heat treatment, the pressure within the furnace, and the flow rate within the furnace to control the thickness and the phase fraction of the compound layer.

[0048] When describing a difference in principle between the heat treatment method according to the present disclosure and the conventional method with reference to FIG. 2, since the gas is injected after the ammonia resolution (Kn) is adjusted by mixing the gas, the ammonia resolution is converged to an equilibrium phase fraction rate determined by the heat treatment temperature+Kn with the time.

[0049] However, the present disclosure has no concept of adjusting the Kn separately, and the partial pressure of H.sub.2 is 0, such that the Kn is infinite (determined by Kn=partial pressure of NH.sub.3/partial pressure of H.sub.2).

[0050] In other words, since the ammonia is unlimitedly decomposed immediately from the surface of the component, the present disclosure has the concept which may be close to the concept of stopping the decomposition in the appropriate condition in which the temperature/the atmospheric pressure/the flow rate should be adjusted to adjust the quality (reaction speed) of the compound layer, rather than being converged to the equilibrium state.

[0051] The present disclosure summarized to be compared with Table 1 is expressed in Table 2 below. The contents of describing the conditions such as the temperature, pressure, and the like of the present disclosure and the related art in the graph are the same as those of FIG. 1.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Atmospheric Items Temperature Gas pressure Flow rate Time Present Heating: Heating: Heating: Primary Heating: X disclosure 400~600° C. H.sub.2 purge 230~780 torr stabilization: Primary Primary Primary Primary 0.5~15 m.sup.3/h stabilization: stabilization: stabilization: stabilization: Secondary within 2 hours 400~600° C. H.sub.2 (vacuum) 230~400 torr stabilization: secondary Secondary Secondary Secondary 0.5~6 m.sup.3/h nitrification: nitrification: nitrification: nitrification: 6~15 hours 400~600° C. NH.sub.3 (vacuum) 230~400 torr

[0052] The heat treatment method of a component for a vehicle according to the present disclosure, i.e., the vacuum nitrification heat treatment process, may be summarized as follows with reference to Table 2.

[0053] In the heat treatment of a component for a vehicle according to the present disclosure, the manufactured metal (may be an iron-based) component is disposed in the inner space of the furnace for the heat treatment, and then the heating and the H.sub.2 purge are performed.

[0054] The heating in one example is 400 to 600° C., and H.sub.2 is purged until the pressure becomes 230 to 780 torr.

[0055] Thereafter, the heated temperature is maintained for the primary stabilization, and H.sub.2 is supplied at the speed of 0.5 to 15 m.sup.3/h, such that the inner pressure becomes 230 to 400 torr, and the stabilization time in one example is within 2 hours.

[0056] After the primary stabilization, the temperature is maintained at 400 to 600° C., and only NH.sub.3 is supplied.

[0057] NH.sub.3 is supplied at the speed of 0.5 to 6 m.sup.3/h such that the inner pressure becomes 230 to 400 torr, and a secondary nitrification time in one example is 6 to 15 hours.

[0058] It may be confirmed that it is possible to secure the compound layer and the surface hardness for a short time by the aforementioned heat treatment condition. The Examples and experimental examples according to the present disclosure are summarized in Tables 3 and 4 below.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Flow Thickness Depth Atmos- rate Thickness of of γ′ Temper- pheric of of pore diffusion fraction Hard- ature pressure Time NH.sub.3 compound layer layer rate ness (° C.) (atm) (h) (m.sup.3/h) (μm) (μm) (mm) (%) (Hv) Example 540 0.5 6 1 9.7 2.1 0.31 68.7 678  1 Example 540 0.5 10 1 11.6 3.5 0.39 75.9 691  2 Example 540 0.5 15 1 12.5 4.0 0.43 85.3 682  3 Example 540 0.3 6 1 12.1 3.6 0.30 72.8 670  4 Example 540 0.3 10 1 12.3 3.9 0.40 65.4 637  5 Example 540 0.3 15 1 13.1 4.0 0.41 62.1 625  6 Example 540 0.3 10 0.5 10.8 4.0 0.38 72.4 671  7 Example 540 0.3 10 6 11.5 3.7 0.40 69.7 668  8 Example 580 0.5 6 1 14.7 4.6 0.42 51.4 651  9 Example 580 0.5 15 1 16.8 4.8 0.49 58.7 620 10 Example 580 0.3 6 1 13.9 3.9 0.40 62.1 664 11 Example 580 0.3 15 1 17.2 4.3 0.47 54.2 630 12 Example 510 0.5 6 1 9.1 2.0 0.23 79.1 708 13 Example 510 0.5 15 1 9.8 2.2 0.31 88.4 689 14 Example 510 0.3 6 1 9.3 2.1 0.22 80.4 696 15 Example 510 0.3 15 1 10.0 2.2 0.30 85.7 695 16 Example 450 0.3 6 0.5 8.0 2.1 0.20 89.7 707 17 Example 450 0.3 15 1 9.1 2.2 0.24 83.4 699 18 Example 580 0.5 15 6 19.8 4.3 0.49 51.1 624 19

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Atmospheric Temperature pressure Time Flow rate Example 1 — Upper limit Lower limit — Example 2 — Upper limit — — Example 3 — Upper limit Upper limit — Example 4 — Lower limit Lower limit — Example 5 — Lower limit — — Example 6 — Lower limit Upper limit — Example 7 — Lower limit — Lower limit Example 8 — Lower limit — Upper limit Example 9 Upper limit Upper limit Lower limit — Example 10 Upper limit Upper limit Upper limit — Example 11 Upper limit Lower limit Lower limit — Example 12 Upper limit Lower limit Upper limit — Example 13 — Upper limit Lower limit — Example 14 — Upper limit Upper limit — Example 15 — Lower limit Lower limit — Example 16 — Lower limit Upper limit — Example 17 Lower limit Lower limit Lower limit Lower limit Example 18 Lower limit Lower limit Upper limit — Example 19 Upper limit Upper limit Upper limit Upper limit

[0059] As summarized in Tables 3 and 4, it may be seen that it is possible to secure the surface characteristics in which the thickness of the compound is 8 to 20 μm, the thickness of the pore layer is 2 to 5 μm, the surface hardness is 620 to 710 Hv, and the diffusion layer is 0.5 mm or less, upon the heat treatment within a range of the nitrification conditions (the temperature, the pressure, the flow rate, and the time) according to the present disclosure. It may also be seen that it is possible to secure the γ′ phase of 50 to 90%.

[0060] Further, Comparative Examples out of the range of the Examples of the present disclosure are summarized in Table 5 below.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Flow Thickness Depth Atmos- rate Thickness of of γ′ Temper- pheric of of pore diffusion fraction Hard- ature pressure Time NH.sub.3 compound layer layer rate ness (° C.) (atm) (h) (m.sup.3/h) (μm) (μm) (mm) (%) (Hv) Compar- 540 1.0 22 10 13.9 3.0 0.41 87.3 677 ative Example  1 Compar- 540 1.0 10 1 5.5 0.7 0.37 78.5 708 ative Example  2 Compar- 580 1.0 15 6 22.4 4.8 0.42 25.8 626 ative Example  3 Compar- 430 0.5 15 1 3.8 0.7 0.19 92.1 716 ative Example  4 Compar- 430 0.5 20 1 5.1 0.7 0.20 90.4 706 ative Example  5 Compar- 600 0.5 6 1 25.7 5.7 0.37 27.1 594 ative Example  6 Compar- 540 0.5 10 0.3 6.9 2.4 0.34 77.2 661 ative Example  7 Compar- 510 0.2 15 1 — — 0.08 — — ative Example  8 Compar- 540 0.2 10 1 4.2 0.8 0.34 77.2 661 ative Example  9 Compar- 540 0.5 5 1 7.1 1.8 0.26 60.2 659 ative Example 10 Compar- 580 0.5 5 1 11.3 3.9 0.37 37.4 609 ative Example 11

[0061] It may be seen that Comparative Example 1 is the case where N.sub.2 is mixed with NH.sub.3, and Comparative Example 2 is the case of comparing the normal pressure/low pressure with those of Example 2 with only NH.sub.3 and the compound is insufficient. It may be seen that Comparative Example 3 is the case of comparing the normal pressure/low pressure with those of Example 19 with only NH.sub.3 and the pore layer side is excessive, and the hardness and the phase fraction rate are insufficient. It may be seen that in Comparative Example 4, the temperature is insufficient, and the compound is insufficient, and in Comparative Example 5, the temperature is insufficient, and the compound is insufficient in the time excess condition. It may be seen that in Comparative Example 6, the gamma prime (γ′) phase, Fe4N fraction rate is rapidly decreased by the temperature excess to form an austenite.

[0062] It may be seen that in Comparative Example 7, the compound is insufficient due to the insufficiency of the flow rate. It may be seen that in Comparative Examples 8 and 9, the compound is not formed or insufficient due to the insufficiency of the atmospheric pressure. It may also be seen in Comparative Examples 10 and 11, the compound is insufficient due to the insufficiency of the time or the compound fraction rate is insufficient.

[0063] As described above, unlike the Comparative Examples, it may be seen that the Examples of the present disclosure may secure the surface characteristics in which the thickness of the compound layer is 8 to 20 μm, the pore layer is 2 to 5 μm, the surface hardness is 620 to 710 Hv, and the thickness of the diffusion layer is 0.5 mm or less when the corresponding heat treatment is performed, and may secure the γ′ phase of 50 to 90%.

[0064] FIGS. 3-6 are pictures or photographs of the real microstructures. FIG. 3 illustrates the microstructure of Comparative Example 1 of the condition of 540° C., 1 atmospheric pressure, and 22 hours, and illustrates that the thickness is 13.9 μm, the thickness of the pore layer is 3.0 μm, the hardness is 677 Hv, and the γ′ fraction rate is 87.3%.

[0065] FIG. 4 illustrates the microstructure of Comparative Example 2 of the condition of 540° C., 1 atmospheric pressure, and 10 hours, and illustrates that the thickness is 5.5 μm, the thickness of the pore layer is 0.7 μm, the hardness is 708 Hv, and the γ′ fraction rate is 78.5%.

[0066] On the other hand, FIG. 5 illustrates the microstructure of Example 2 of the condition of 540° C., 0.5 atmospheric pressure, and 10 hours, and illustrates that the thickness is 11.6 μm, the thickness of the pore layer is 3.5 μm, the hardness is 691 Hv, and the γ′ fraction rate is 75.9%. It may be seen that the compound is sufficient compared to Comparative Example 2 and is equal to that of Comparative Example 1.

[0067] Further, FIG. 6 illustrates the microstructure of Example 4 of the condition of 540° C., 0.3 atmospheric pressure, and 6 hours, and illustrates that the thickness is 12.1 μm, the thickness of the pore layer is 3.6 μm, the hardness is 670 Hv, and the γ′ fraction rate is 72.8%.

[0068] As described above, while the present disclosure has been described with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiment. It should be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be variously modified and changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the modified examples or the changed examples should be included in the claims of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure should be interpreted based on the appended claims.