Study on the synergistic diffusion mechanism of double glow plasma alloying and its impact on the magnetic properties of non-oriented silicon steel

XY Tao and ZH Fan and QH Li and YM Wen and ZY Hu and GT Liu and AM Khan and HY Wu, JOURNAL OF MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS, 630, 173437 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2025.173437

This research investigates the element distribution, binding energy, and diffusion behavior of 3.5 wt% Si non-oriented electrical steel through carburization, nitridation, and carbonitridation processes, utilizing molecular dynamics simulation and double glow discharge surface alloying technology. Simulation results reveal a specific synergistic diffusion effect between carbon and nitrogen elements in the steel, with nitrogen playing a dominant role in promoting the diffusion depth of carbon in the steel. The double glow plasma surface alloying experiments demonstrate that as the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio increases, the carbon content rises and then declines, reaching its peak at a carbon-to- nitrogen ratio of 1:5, where both carbon and nitrogen contents achieve their maximum values. This phenomenon indicates that an appropriate carbon-to-nitrogen ratio effectively enhances the diffusion of both carbon and nitrogen elements in the matrix. In addition, nitriding significantly reduces the saturation magnetization of non-oriented electrical steels by approximately 20 %, with carbonitriding having the least effect on magnetic properties.

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