Greater hardness, increased corrosion-resistance.
New grades of steel with the SolNit® process!
The strength of stainless steel can in theory be increased by alloying with nitrogen. However this cannot be done using conventional alloying techniques, as the low solubility of nitrogen in molten steel makes it difficult to add.
Ipsen 's innovative SolNit® process offers a unique solution to this problem. Nitrogenising at a depth of 0.1 to 3 mm can be used to surface-harden both austenitic and martensitic stainless steels. The dispersion of nitrogen atoms into steel leads both to a considerable increase in strength and an improvement in corrosion resistance. The quenching process is a key part of this procedure. Steel treated with nitrogen at temperatures of between 1,050 °C and 1,150 °C is cooled so quickly that the otherwise normal precipitation of corrosion-creating nitrides does not take place.
Two different process variants are available: SolNit®-M und SolNit®-A.
The SolNit®-M process is designed, for example, for use with stainless steel roller bearings and tools used in medical technology, along with the food industry and polymer processing sector, as well as being ideal for consumable parts used in the mineral-processing, chemicals and pump-construction sectors. This variant of the process creates a hard, martensitic top layer, while preserving a tough core section.
The dissolved nitrogen provides greater resistance to corrosion, in both an acid and chloride environment..
Das SolNit®-A-process is used for such flowrelated items as pumps, turbines and their corresponding valves and fittings, as it greatly increases resistance to cavitation erosion.
In these cases, the process creates a hard, tough austenitic layer that offers great resistance to surface damage caused by corrosive, hostile environments.
