Identification of nitrides in type 304 stainless steel

An investigation was conducted to identify the type nitride formed in Type 304 stainless steel. Specimens of this material were nitrided commercially by The Chapman Valve Manufacturing Company using a patented process known as Malcomizing. These specimens were investigated utilizing both X-ray diffraction and metallography techniques.

The results implied that the nitrogen combines principally with the iron in the stainless steel forming three iron nitrides - Fe₄N, Fe₃N, and Fe₂N.

The alloy was selected because it contained a minimum number of elements which might form nitrides. It was concluded that for this particular alloy the relative concentration of the nitride forming elements determines largely which type of nitride will form.