Nitrex Metal Inc., Montreal, Quebec, reported at the AeroMat 25 conference on its Nano-S nitriding technology designed primarily for surface hardening of stainless steels to improve wear and galling resistance. The key to its success a precise atmosphere control, which translates to accurate control of the nitriding potential. Therefore, engineers developed process technologies that allow for tight control of low-temperature nitriding parameters. The goal of this control is to produce a supersaturated nitrogen surface layer by adapting the potential set point to various process temperatures and stages.
Authored by Jack Kalucki and Dimitri Koshel, the presentation was titled “Nano-S: Controlled Low-Temperature Nitriding, an Alternative to Thermal Spray Coatings.” The authors discussed various aspects of gas atmosphere control and metallurgical results. They also reported on the evolution of microstructures, microhardness profiles, fatigue, and electrochemical corrosion test data.
