5. Glossary

carbon potential

Carbon mass fraction of a steel in thermodynamic equilibrium with this atmosphere.

nitriding potential

Parameter that controls the nitrogen enrichment of a product undergoing carbonitriding, nitriding or nitrocarburizing. Control of the nitriding process is based on the amount of undissociated NH ₃ . This quantity is found in the Lehrer diagram, which identifies the most thermodynamically stable metallurgical phase as a function of nitriding potential and treatment temperature.