X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques including stress measurement were applied to untreated, low temperature plasma nitrided and low temperature plasma carburised AISI 304 austenitic stainless steels treated at 425uC for 12 h in H 2 /N 2 and H 2 /CH 4 gases respectively. Relationships between surface microhardness and XRD peak broadening were established. The results also showed that both surface treated layers were under a compressive residual stress. The compressive residual stresses of the low temperature plasma nitrided and the low temperature plasma carburised layers were 2?19 and 1?58 GPa.
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