The outer surface of a steel gear is to be hardened by increasing its carbon content; the...

The outer surface of a steel gear is to be hardened by increasing its carbon content; the carbon is to be supplied from an external carbon-rich atmosphere maintained at an elevated temperature. A diffusion heat treatment at 600°C (873 K) for 100 min increases the carbon concentration to 0.75 wt% at a position 0.5 mm below the surface. Estimate the diffusion time required at 900°C (1173 K) to achieve this same concentration also at a 0.5-mm position. Assume that the surface carbon content is the same for both heat treatments, which is maintained constant. Use the diffusion data in Table 5.2 for C diffusion in α-Fe.

Table 5.2 A Tabulation of Diffusion Data