engleski

Diffusion of Carbon in Steels

Although the carburizing of steel has been in wide application for a long time, there are some disagreements in the explanation of fundamental rules of diffusion process in this field. Even now the view-point that the concentration gradient is the driving force for diffusion of carbon in steels can be found in literature. Other approach to the explanation of carbon diffusion in steels is founded on the known fact that the driving force in thermo-chemical processes is the chemical potential and not the concentration gradient. An original mathematical model is established and a computer program for the calculation of technological parameters is set. A comparison of experimental results and calculations confirms regularity of principles of the mathematical model. Additionally, with the thermo-dynamical explanation of diffusion the known phenomenon of “ up-hill diffusion” is described.

carburizing; steel; carbon activity; mathematical model; up-hill diffusion

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