Nitrocarburizing is the thermochemical treatment, which involves the diffusional addition of both nitrogen and carbon to the surface of ferrous materials usually at temperatures not exceeding 1100 degrees F.

The primary objectives of such treatment are to:

1. Produce nitrogen and carbon rich, very compact compound zone (white layer) of the E-Fe2(N,C)1-x carbonitrides.
2. Enhance tribological performance of many machinery parts and certain tools.
   
   
   
   The presence of carbon in the E compound zone considerably improves its hardness and wear resistance.
   
   This process is typically used in the applications requiring thicker and harder compound zones, such as plain carbon steel products, to improve their anti-scuffing and also fatigue properties.

• Plasma (Ion) Ferritic Nitrocarburizing is essentially the ion nitriding process performed in a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen with small additions of gases containing carbon. Presence of carbon in plasma allows stabilizing the E-Fe2(N,C)1-x carbonitrides in the compound zone. The process has all the benefits of the ion nitriding technology including ease of selective hardening by application of mechanical masks and can also be applied to the sintered metals products.
• Gaseous Ferritic Nitrocarburizing uses gases, which add simultaneously nitrogen and carbon to the surface of ferrous materials to produce the desired E phase. Its thickness is greater than it can be achieved by plasma process and is typically used for treating large quantities of the stamped sheet steel products used in the automotive industries.
• Post nitrocarburizing oxidation treatment can be used to enhance the aesthetic and combined fatigue, wear, and corrosion properties of gaseous nitrocarburized components made of mild steels.