Carburizing vs. Carbonitriding: Know the Difference

By Shumaila Saeed || Published on January 26, 2024

Carburizing involves adding carbon to a metal surface, while carbonitriding adds both carbon and nitrogen, affecting their depth of hardness and temperature used.

Carburizing vs. Carbonitriding

Key Differences

Carburizing is a heat treatment process that introduces carbon into the surface of a steel part. Carbonitriding, while similar, introduces both carbon and nitrogen to the metal's surface. This difference in elements used directly impacts the characteristics imparted to the metal.

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Carburizing typically occurs at higher temperatures (around 900°C) and results in a deeper hardened surface. Carbonitriding is performed at lower temperatures (around 800°C) and produces a thinner, harder case than carburizing due to the presence of nitrogen.

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Carburizing is best suited for low carbon steels to improve hardness and wear resistance. Carbonitriding, on the other hand, is often used for treating low alloy steels, offering enhanced surface hardness along with improved corrosion resistance and minimal dimensional changes.

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The application of carburizing is common in gears, crankshafts, and other components where wear resistance is key. Carbonitriding finds its application in smaller, intricate parts requiring a hard, wear-resistant surface, such as screws and other fasteners.

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Carburizing allows for greater control in adjusting the carbon gradient and depth of hardness. Carbonitriding, with the addition of nitrogen, offers more flexibility in treating components with sharp edges and complex geometries without compromising the core properties.

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Comparison Chart

Elements Added

Carbon only

Carbon and Nitrogen

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Treatment Temperature

Higher (around 900°C)

Lower (around 800°C)

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Depth of Hardened Surface

Deeper hardness penetration

Shallower, with higher surface hardness

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Suitable Metals

Primarily low carbon steels

Low alloy steels

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Primary Applications

Gears, crankshafts

Screws, fasteners, intricate parts

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Carburizing and Carbonitriding Definitions

Carburizing

Hardening Steel Surfaces

Carburizing the gear increased its surface hardness.

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Carbonitriding

Surface Treatment

Carbonitriding was applied to improve the surface hardness of the fasteners.

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Carburizing

Enhancing Toughness

Through carburizing, the crankshaft gained increased toughness.

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Carbonitriding

Enhancing Resistance

The process of carbonitriding provided better corrosion resistance.

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Carburizing

Adding Carbon

The process involved carburizing the steel to improve wear resistance.

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Carbonitriding

Hardening with Carbon and Nitrogen

Carbonitriding the screws made them more resistant to wear.

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Carburizing

Heat Treatment

Carburizing at high temperatures enhances the metal's durability.

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Carbonitriding

Lower Temperature Process

They used carbonitriding to treat the small metal parts.

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Carburizing

Industrial Application

Carburizing is a key step in manufacturing durable machine parts.

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Carbonitriding

For Intricate Parts

Carbonitriding is ideal for complex geometries needing surface hardening.

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Carburizing

To treat, combine, or impregnate with carbon, as when casehardening steel.

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Carbonitriding

Present participle of carbonitride

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Carburizing

To carburet.

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Carburizing

Present participle of carburize

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Repeatedly Asked Queries

What is carburizing?

Carburizing is a heat treatment process adding carbon to steel surfaces to increase hardness.

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What types of metals are best for carburizing?

Low carbon steels are most suitable for carburizing.

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What is carbonitriding?

Carbonitriding is similar to carburizing but adds both carbon and nitrogen to the metal.

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At what temperatures is carbonitriding performed?

Carbonitriding is done at lower temperatures, around 800°C.

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What is the depth of hardness in carbonitriding?

Carbonitriding achieves a shallower, yet harder surface.

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Is carburizing suitable for complex shapes?

Carburizing is less suitable for very intricate shapes compared to carbonitriding.

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What temperatures are used in carburizing?

Carburizing typically uses temperatures around 900°C.

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What metals are ideal for carbonitriding?

Carbonitriding is often used on low alloy steels.

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How deep does carburizing penetrate the metal surface?

Carburizing results in a deeper hardened surface.

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What are common applications of carburizing?

Carburizing is commonly used for gears and crankshafts.

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Is carburizing a more flexible process than carbonitriding?

Carburizing offers more control over carbon depth but is less flexible for complex shapes.

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What industries commonly use carburizing?

Automotive and machinery industries frequently use carburizing.

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Does carburizing change the core properties of metal?

Carburizing mainly affects the surface, not the core properties.

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Can carbonitriding treat sharp edges effectively?

Yes, carbonitriding is effective for parts with sharp edges or complex geometries.

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Can both processes be used on the same metal?

It's possible, but the choice depends on the desired properties and applications.

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Where is carbonitriding typically applied?

Carbonitriding is used for smaller parts like screws and fasteners.

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How does carbonitriding enhance corrosion resistance?

The nitrogen in carbonitriding improves corrosion resistance.

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Where is carbonitriding most commonly used?

Carbonitriding is often used in precision tool manufacturing.

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Does carbonitriding affect the core of the metal?

Like carburizing, carbonitriding also primarily alters the surface.

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Are carburizing and carbonitriding environmentally friendly?

Both processes have environmental impacts, but advancements are being made to reduce them.

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About Author

Written by

Shumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.

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