Characterization and mechanical behaviour of modified 15Cr3 steel using chrome nitriding

Production of components is very essential for the automotive sector. Some of the components leads to failure due to the lack of mechanical and wear properties. So the replacing of that particular material leads to huge cost. However, alternative is made necessary to improve the obstructed properties, surface modifications or coatings are made on the metal surface in order to improve the mechanical, tribological, chemical and physical properties. For modification of 15Cr3 steel alloy surfaces, plasma nitrided treatment is achieved using nitrogen and hydrogen with 4:1 ratio. In this paper 15Cr3 material is selected as the base material which is used for sprockets. This 15Cr3 material sample is prepared to undergo plasma nitriding at a temperature of 450°C for 10 hours. The plasma nitrided specimens have undergone different tests such as wear, tensile, hardness. The microstructure and inorganic elements were attains for the treated nitrided specimen using SEM and EDAX. From the result, it is observed that the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, elongation (%), ultimate tensile load, energy absorbed in charpy impact load, more wear resistance, hardness and transverse depth hardness at different locations shows much more significant for plasma nitride specimen than that of un-nitrided. The SEM images showlegible amount of cracks and absence of pits, void, irregularities on the treated surface. So therefore, the nitrided material exhibits a better physical and mechanical property, wear resistance and withstanding more amounts of impact loads with greater efficient specimen as compared to the un-nitrided specimen. Due to the excellent mechanical, hardness, wear and structure, the treated plasma nitrided 15Cr3 steel can be utilized to manufacture the automotive components for the better life span.