Mechanical Performances of Carbonitriding Films on Cast Iron by Plasma Electrolytic Carbonitriding

The plasma electrolytic carbonitriding (PEC/N) process is applied to cast iron using an aqueous solution of acetamide and glycerin as the electrolyte. Mechanical properties of the carbonitriding layers on cast iron are investigated. After the PEC/N treatment, the microhardness and wear resistance of cast iron are improved significantly compared to the untreated substrate. When the substrate is processed at 350 V for 60 s, the coating presents the highest microhardness and it is about 554.14HK_0.02, and the coating with the highest hardness has the best wear resistance.