Nitriding is a surface treatment process. As a result of the diffusion of nitrogen to the steel surface, a hard layer with high wear resistance is formed on the surface of the material. Every material has a nitriding ability. Nitriding increases corrosion resistance and fatigue strength in some steels. In some steels, it reduces corrosion resistance. One of the low temperature surface hardening processes, nitriding; It is based on the principle of forming a hard layer on the surface by sending nitrogen atoms to the steel part surface as intermediate atoms. Salt bath and gas atmosphere can be used as nitrogen supply medium.
The nitriding process is carried out at low temperatures such as 480-540 °C. At these temperatures, carbon steels are ferritic. The nitriding process is applied to steels containing nitride-forming elements such as Al, Cr, Mo, Ti and V. In the nitriding process, the atomic nitrogen on the steel surface diffuses into the interior and reacts to form very fine nitride precipitates, usually 5-15 μm in size.