Iron Carbide Films Formed by Plasma Deposition and Plasma Carburizing

Abstract

Thin Fe 7C 3 films were successfully prepared in an r.f. glow discharge using Fe(CO) 5 and H 2 as the gas source. The films showed a columnar crystal growth with a particle size less than 0.5 μm. The sheet conductivity of the films was in the range 1.0-5.0 × 10 4 ω -1 cm -1. The microhardness of the film on a glass substrate was 624.0 kgf mm -2. The Fe 7C 3 films formed on glass showed the presence of Fe 7C 3 and α-Fe phases after being annealed at 400 °C for 6 h. However, Fe 3C (cementite) films formed on iron substrates. The influence of the H 2O flow rate on the deposited films was investigated for both Fe(CO) 5 + H 2O and Fe(CO) 5 + H 2 + H 2O systems. The plasma carburizing process was performed using either CO or a mixture of CO and H 2 as the gas source and electrodeposited iron as the substrate. In the CO system, a carbon layer was formed as the main product while in the CO + H 2 system, a homogeneous Fe 3C film with a particle size of less than 0.5 μm and a microhardness of 479.0 kgf mm -2 was formed. © 1990.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

Second Department

Chemistry

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0921-5107

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1990 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 1990

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