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Diffusion

Technical Applications

Mechanical components frequently require different material properties at their surface to improve wear performance.
Case hardening of mechanical components by diffusing carbon or nitrogen into the iron alloy of the component increases the surface hardness and improves lifetime against wear.
Carbon diffuses into the alloy by an interstitial mechanism. The surface concentration of carbon is kept constant during diffusion giving an error function profile for carbon in iron.

From: Callister,
"Materials Science & Engineering," Wiley (1994)