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Decarburization

Material property-altering process where the material is heated and a gas containing oxygen is supplied so that the carbon in the surface of the material reacts with the oxygen and leave the surface to decarburized.

Beskrivning
Illustration of Decarburization

The process

A: The material is heated to a critical temperature where decarburization can occur.

B: The temperature is kept constant and is applied to a gas which includes oxygen. The oxygen in the gas reacts with the carbon in the workpiece surface and form carbon monoxide. The surface will thus have a lower carbon content and is softened. This then leads to carbon atoms further into the material to start migrating out to the surface to create a balance, i.e. interstitial diffusion. The longer the piece is in this environment the longer the diffusion process which controls the degree of decarburization.

C: The material is then allowed to cool at room temperature. 

It is also possible to use a protective gas containing, for example argon to easily control how much of the material that decarburized.