Fatigue strength of ion nitrided tool steel

The authors have studied and clarified that ion nitriding was able to improve the fatigue properties of tool steel. Five kinds of ion nitriding methods (ion nitriding condition is different) were used in this study. The fatigue test had been performed using a rotating bending fatigue testing machine to investigate the effects of ion nitriding on fatigue properties of tool steel. The fractography was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and hardness distribution was also investigated using a microhardness tester. As a result, the fatigue strength and hardness of the ion nitrided specimen increased after ion nitriding processing. It is considered that the compressive residual stress which produced by ion nitriding processing in the layer reduced fatigue fracture, and the altered surface composition improved surface hardness. According to the results of the fatigue test, the optimal ion nitriding method on improving the fatigue limit of tool steel was determined. The hardness of the specimens remarkably increased after ion nitriding processing.