STUDY EFFECT OF THE VARIATION OF POTASSIUM CARBONATE CATALYST COMPOSITION ON HARDNESS OF CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT STEEL IN PACK CARBURIZING PROCESS

• Main Author: Joshua
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/39769
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Carbon steel is the most widely used material in industrial, construction, and daily applications. Based on its carbon content, steel is divided into three groups, that is low, medium and high carbon steel. In general, the higher carbon content in steel, the stronger, harder, and more expensive the steel will be. Many ways can be done to modify the mechanical properties of steel. Pack carburizing is an interesting option because it is classified as a surface hardening process that can produce a hardness distribution from surface to the core of steel. This method can be applied to low carbon steel so that a significant increase in hardness is obtained around the surface while maintaining the toughness. In practice, pack carburizing requires a catalyst to assist the carbon diffusion process to the surface of the steel so that it will affects the carburizing time. Potassium carbonate can be used as a catalyst, but the effectiveness of that catalyst needs to be investigated by varying the composition of the catalyst and identifying the changes that occur. Enhancement of hardness that occurs during pack carburizing by adding potassium carbonate catalyst can be followed up by determining effective case depth. Thus the conclusion of the most effective catalyst composition can be made from the range of variation composition determined. On a mass scale, determining the exact composition of potassium carbonate catalyst plays an important role in the efficiency of time and energy in the pack carburizing process.