Surface mechanics and wear resistance of supermartensitic stainless steel nitrided by plasma immersion ion implantation

In materials employed in the marine oil extraction, a nitrided layer produced by plasma immersion ion implantation (PI3) can improve the surface resistance against abrasion and still work as a strengthened substructure for deposition of hard coatings. PI3-modified supermartensitic stainless steel (SMSS) surfaces consisted of an iron nitride-rich case followed by N-solid solution; thicknesses of both regions grew as the treatment temperature...