简介:GlowdischargeplasmanitridingofAISI304austeniticstainlesssteelhasbeencar-riedoutfordifferentprocessingtimeunderoptimumdischargeconditionsestablishedbyspectro-scopicanalysis.ThetreatedsampleswereanalysedbyX-raydiffraction(XRD)toexplorethechangesinducedinthecrystallographicstructure.TheXRDpatternconfirmedtheformationofanexpandedaustenitephase(γN)owingtoincorporationofnitrogenasaninterstitialsolidsolu-tionintheironlattice.AVickersmicrohardnesstesterwasusedtoevaluatethesurfacehardnessasafunctionofindentationdepth(μm).Theresultsshowedclearevidenceofsurfacechangeswithsubstantialincreaseinsurfacehardness.