Method and steel component

Abstract

A method for heat treating a steel component, the method comprising steps of: (a) carbonitriding the steel component and (b) ferritically nitrocarburizing the steel component.

Claims

1. A method for heat treating a steel component the method comprising steps of: carbonitriding the steel component in a furnace in the presence of a first concentration of ammonia gas and at least one gas selected from the group consisting of methane, propane and natural gas, decreasing the first concentration of ammonia gas to a second concentration of ammonia gas less than the first concentration during the carbonitriding; and ferritically nitrocarburizing the steel component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of ferritically nitrocarburizing the steel component is carried out at a temperature below 590° C.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steel component comprises steel with a carbon content of 0.60 to 1.20 weight %.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steel component comprises one of a 100Cr6 steel or a 100CrMo7 steel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steel component comprises or constitutes one of a rolling element, a roller, or a steel component for an application in which the steel component is subjected to alternating Hertzian stresses.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, as a result of the method, the steel component is provided with a compound layer having a thickness of 10-20 μm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, as a result of the method, the steel component is provided with a surface hardness of 800-1000 HV and a core hardness of 300-500 HV.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of ferritically nitrocarburizing the steel component is carried out in an atmosphere of 60% NH.sub.3, 35% N.sub.2 and 5% CO.sub.2.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of carbonitriding the steel component comprises carbonitriding the steel component for 5-25 hours.

10. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising a step of tumbling the steel component after the step of ferritically nitrocarburizing the steel component.

11. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising steps of c) quenching the steel component and d) tempering the steel component.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of tempering the steel component is carried out at a temperature of 150-260° C.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is provided for improving at least one of the following properties of a steel component: wear resistance, corrosion resistance, load bearing capacity, surface hardness, core hardness, compound layer thickness, abrasive wear resistance, and fatigue resistance.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first concentration is 9.5% and the second concentration is 6.5%.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first concentration is 9.5% and the second concentration is 0%.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the carbonitriding step has a duration and wherein the first concentration of ammonia gas is maintained for the first 70% of the duration.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first concentration is 9.5% and the second concentration is 6.5%.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first concentration is 9.5% and the second concentration is 0%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will hereinafter be further explained by means of non-limiting examples with reference to the appended figures where;

(2) FIG. 1 shows a method according to an embodiment of the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows Micro Vickers hardness profiles of five steel materials that have been subjected to different heat treatments,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the corrosion attack on six different materials subjected to different heat treatments,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a micrograph of 100Cr6 steel carbonitrided for 8 hours and ferritically nitrocarburized,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a micrograph of 100Cr6 steel carbonitrided for 22 hours and ferritically nitrocarburized, and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a steel component according to an embodiment of the invention.

(8) It should be noted that the drawings have not been drawn to scale and that the dimensions of certain features have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 shows a heat treatment cycle according to the present invention. A steel component is subjected to a carbonitriding process (step a)), at a temperature of 970° C. for 5-25 hours for example. The process environment is for example provided by the introduction of methane/propane/natural gas (for carbon) and ammonia (for nitrogen) into a furnace in the presence of a controlled carrier gas. By maintaining the proper ratios of the working gases, the component is provided with a thin carbonitrided layer of carbon- and nitrogen-rich steel. According to an embodiment of the invention the method includes supplying a higher concentration of ammonia at the beginning of the carbonitriding step a) to boost the carbonitriding process. For example, 9.5% ammonia may be used initially; this may be lowered to 6.5% ammonia and then 0%. 9.5% ammonia may be used for about 70% of the carbonitriding step a). The load bearing capacity of the steel component is increased by the carbonitriding step a). The load bearing capacity depends on the case depth reached by carbonitriding.

(10) The steel component is then ferritically nitrocarburized (step b)), by re-heating the component to a temperature of 500-700° C., preferably to a temperature below 590° C. in an atmosphere of 60% NH3, 35% N2 and 5% CO2 for example. The ferritic nitrocarburizing step b) provides the steel component with a tough tempered core and a hard ceramic-like surface and a diffusion zone.

(11) The steel component may subsequently be quenched (step c)) in an oil or salt bath with bath temperatures selected to achieve the optimum properties with acceptable levels of dimensional change. Hot oil/salt bath quenching can be used to minimize distortion of intricate parts. Low temperature tempering (step d)) may then be carried out to toughen the steel component, for example at a temperature of 150-260° C. After tempering, the component is cooled to room temperature and may then be used in any application in which it is likely to be subjected to stress, strain, impact and/or wear under a normal operational cycle, such as in under contaminated and/or poor lubricant conditions.

(12) According to an embodiment of the invention the method may comprise the step of tumbling the steel component after step b).

(13) Such a method will improve at least one of the following properties of a steel component: wear resistance, corrosion resistance, load bearing capacity, surface hardness, core hardness, compound layer thickness, abrasive wear resistance, fatigue resistance.

(14) Steel components subjected to a method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used with or without subsequent grinding operations.

(15) The steel component may comprise steel with a carbon content of 0.60 to 1.20 weight %, 100Cr6 steel, or a 100CrMo7 steel.

(16) Such a method may be used to heat treat a steel component that comprises or constitutes a rolling element or roller, or a steel component for an application in which is subjected to alternating Hertzian stresses, particularly in applications with high demands on wear and/or corrosion resistance.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a graph of Micro Vickers hardness profiles at 0.1 to 1 mm depth below the surface of a five steel materials 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 that were subjected to different heat treatments. Material 10 was 100Cr6 steel that had been through hardened and austenitically nitrocarburized. Material 12 was 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 8 hours, re-hardened and austenitically nitrocarburized. Material 14 was 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 8 hours, re-hardened and ferritically nitrocarburized according to an embodiment of the present invention. Material 16 was 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 8 hours and re-hardened. Material 18 was 100Cr6 steel that had been through hardened.

(18) Samples of material 14 were ferritically nitrocarburized in a seal quench furnace at 580° C. for 2.5 hours in an atmosphere of 60% NH3, 35% N2 and 5% CO2. Thereafter they were quenched in oil at 60° C. and tempered at 180° C.

(19) Samples of material 10 and 12 were austenitically nitrocarburized under the same conditions as for the ferritic nitrocarburizing except that the temperature was raised to 620° C. The main difference seen when increasing the process temperature from ferritic to austenitic nitrocarburizing was an increase in the compound layer thickness and the appearance of an austenite layer in between the compound layer and the substrate in austenitically nitrocarburized samples. The temperature for austenitic nitrocarburizing was selected to be high enough so that an austenite layer would be formed below the compound layer 33 but to be as low as possible to minimize distortions. Just before quenching, the samples were exposed to the atmosphere for a few seconds. This so called flash oxidation produced a thin oxide layer on the surface of the samples.

(20) It can be seen from FIG. 2 that carbonitriding and ferritically nitrocarburizing a steel component in accordance with a method according to the present invention produces a steel component with a higher hardness in the diffusion zone than carbonitriding and austenitically nitrocarburizing a steel component. Carbonitriding prior to ferritic nitrocarburizing leads to a higher core and diffusion zone hardness than through hardening prior to ferritic nitrocarburizing.

(21) Carbonitriding prior to nitrocarburizing increases both the diffusion zone and the core hardness, i.e. the hardness of the base material, compared to materials that are nitrocarburized in the soft condition, i.e. without carbonitriding prior to nitrocarburizing. However, the diffusion zone and core hardness is low compared to materials that are carbonitrided only.

(22) FIG. 3 shows the corrosion attack on both ferittically and austenitically nitrocarburized materials 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 after 104 in neutral salt spray. Material 20 was 100Cr6 steel that had been through hardened Material 22 was 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 22 hours. Material 24 was 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 8 hours and re-hardened. Material 26 was 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 22 hours and re-hardened. Material 28 was 50CrMo4 steel. Material 30 was C56E2 steel that had been carbonitrided for 8 hours and re-hardened.

(23) Samples of all of the materials 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 were corrosion tested after they had been subjected to the heat treatments described above (see “reference” values in FIG. 3), and then after ferritic nitrocarburizing or austenitic nitrocarburizing. It can be seen from FIG. 3 that the samples subjected to heat treatments according to an embodiment of the invention (24, 26 and 28 when ferritically nitrocarburized) exhibited very good corrosion resistance.

(24) Ferritic nitrocarburizing resulted in lowered corrosion attack compared to the reference for samples 24, 26 and 28. After 104 hours in neutral salt spray only 5-10% of the surface of the samples subjected to heat treatments according to an embodiment of the invention (24, 26 and 28 when ferritically nitrocarburized) was corroded.

(25) FIG. 4 is a micrograph showing 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 8 hours, re-hardened and ferritically nitrocarburized in accordance with a method according to the present invention.

(26) FIG. 5 is a micrograph showing 100Cr6 steel that had been carbonitrided for 22 hours, re-hardened and ferritically nitrocarburized in accordance with a method according to the present invention.

(27) The method according to the present invention produces a thin, hard case consisting of a ceramic iron-nitrocarbide layer (compound layer 33) and an underlying diffusion zone where nitrogen and carbon are dissolved in the matrix.

(28) Steel components subjected to a method according to the present invention are, as a result of the method, provided with a compound layer 33 having a thickness of 10-20 μm, a surface hardness of 800-1000 HV, which suggests a high resistance to abrasive wear, and a core hardness of 300-500 HV. Since the core is tough tempered, its crack propagation rate is low. Furthermore, it is believed that the compound layer 33 contains mostly ε-phase, which implies good resistance to adhesive wear.

(29) FIG. 6 shows an example of a steel component according to an embodiment of the invention, namely a rolling element bearing 34 that may range in size from 10 mm diameter to a few meters in diameter and have a load-carrying capacity from a few tens of grams to many thousands of tonnes. The bearing 34 according to the present invention may namely be of any size and have any load-carrying capacity. The bearing 34 has an inner ring 36 and an outer ring 38 and a set of rolling elements 40. The inner ring 36, the outer ring 38 and/or the rolling elements 40 of the rolling element bearing 34, and preferably at least part of the surface of all of the rolling contact parts of the rolling element bearing 40 may be subjected to a method according to the present invention.

(30) Further modifications of the invention within the scope of the claims would be apparent to a skilled person.