Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Potential of Cow Horn for Carbonitriding Treatment of Steel

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Waste and Biomass Valorization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The potential of carbonitriding treatment of steel with cow horn was investigated in line with abattoir waste to wealth approach of waste management. The objectives of the study included processing of cow horn into different morphologies namely: powder and flakes for carbonitriding heat treatment, and, chemical analyses of cow horn with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques to determine the chemical composition and phases of cow horn respectively. The heat treatment was carried out at 850 and 450 °C for carburizing and nitriding dominated processes respectively. Vickers hardness measurement was carried out to determine the hardness profile on carbonitrided samples. Optical metallography was carried out for microstructural examination and to investigate phase contrast between the case and core of carbonitrided sample. The result of hardness test observed is consistent with the case hardening profile with higher hardness value at near surface decreasing towards core. Sample heat treated with horn flakes showed higher hardness than those with horn powder. Microstructural phase contrast showed delineation of the hardened case and soft inner core. The high hardness of case was attributed to diffusion of carbon and nitrogen atoms from the cow horn to iron interstices. This supposition was corroborated by detection of carbon and nitrogen with EDS and XRD tests. It was therefore concluded that cow horn could be processed as candidate materials for carbonitriding of steel.

Graphical Abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adeyemi, I.G., Adeyemo, O.K.: Waste management practices at the Bodija abattoir, Nigeria. Int. J. Environ. Stud. 64(1), 71–82 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1080/00207230601124989

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Balogh-Horváth, T.: Hungarian folk jewelry (1983)

  3. Schoenberger, G.: A goblet of unicorn horn. Metrop. Mus. Art Bull. 9, 284–288 (1951)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kurbanoglu, E.B.: Enhancement of glycerol production with ram horn hydrolysate by yeast. Energy Convers. Manag. 44(13), 2125–2133 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Gustav, R.: Compound for hardening or case-hardening iron or steel

  6. Li, B.W., Zhao, H.P., Feng, X.Q., Guo, W.W., Shan, S.C.: Experimental study on the mechanical properties of the horn sheaths from cattle. J. Exp. Biol. 213, 497–486 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.035428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tombolato, L., Novitskaya, E.E., Chen, P.-Y., Sheppard, F.A., McKittrick, J.: Microstructure, elastic properties and deformation mechanisms of horn keratin. Acta Biomater. 6(2), 319–330 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mikulíková, K., Romanov, O., Miksik, I., Eckhardt, A., Pataridis, S., Sedláková, P.: Study of saiga horn using high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Sci. World J. (2012)

  9. Choo, D.W., Schneider, J.P., Graciani, N.R., Kelly, J.W.: Nucleated antiparallel β-sheet that folds and undergoes self-assembly: a template promoted folding strategy toward controlled molecular architectures. Macromolecules. 29(1), 355–366 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Li, X., Yang, X., Qi, J., Seeman, N.C.: Antiparallel DNA double crossover molecules as components for nanoconstruction. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 118(26), 6131–6140 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Pearson, W.B.: A Handbook of Lattice Spacings and Structures of Metals and Alloys: International Series of Monographs on Metal Physics and Physical Metallurgy, vol. 4. Elsevier, Philadelphia (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sidney, H.A.: Introduction to Physical Metallurgy. Kingsport Press. INC, New York (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  13. George, H.A.: Case hardening of steel. Google Patents, (1967)

  14. Selcuk, B., Ipek, R., Karamış, M.: A study on friction and wear behaviour of carburized, carbonitrided and borided AISI 1020 and 5115 steels. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 141(2), 189–196 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. ASM Handbook: Introduction to Surface Hardening of Steels. ASM International (2013)

  16. Wei, Y.: Simulation, optimization and development of thermo-chemical diffusion processes. Doctor of Philosophy, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2013)

  17. Vijendra, S.: Physical metallurgy. Standard Publishers Distributors, Delhi (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Schaaf, P.: Laser nitriding of metals. Prog. Mater. Sci. 47(1), 1–161 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-6425(00)00003-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Silvia, A.J., Breznak, J.M.: Uniform heat treatment process for hardening steel

  20. Khare, A., Duliba, P.: Induction hardening of steel. In. Google Patents, (1986)

  21. Total Material Article: Carbonitriding: Foundamentals, Modelling and Process Optimization. Total Material Article (2010)

  22. Rajesh, A., Venkatesh, J.: Evaluation and diffusion assessment for surface hardening processes. J. Mater. Sci. Eng. (2014). https://doi.org/10.4172/2169-0022.1000146

    Google Scholar 

  23. Borgh, I., Hedström, P., Blomqvist, A., Ågren, J., Odqvist, J.: Synthesis and phase separation of (Ti,Zr)C. Acta Mater. 66, 209–218 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2013.11.074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Weiss, I., Semiatin, S.L.: Thermomechanical processing of alpha titanium alloys: an overview. Mater. Sci. Eng. A-Struct. 263(2), 243–256 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(98)01155-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Herring, D.H.: Carbonitriding of Fasteners. Fastener Technology International (2011)

  26. Offor, P.O., Daniel, C.C., Okorie, B.A.: The effects of intercritical heat treatments of the mechanical properties of 0.14 wt%C–0.56wt%Mn–0.13wt%Si structural steel. Niger. J. Technol. 30(3), 29–34 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Frandsen, R.B., Christiansen, T., Somers, M.A.: Simultaneous surface engineering and bulk hardening of precipitation hardening stainless steel. Surf. Coat. Technol. 200(16), 5160–5169 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Ahmed, I.I., Adebisi, J.A., Abdulkareem, S., Sherry, A.H.: Investigation of surface residual stress profile on martensitic stainless steel weldment with X-ray diffraction. J. King Saud Univ. (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksues.2016.01.004

    Google Scholar 

  29. Sun, Y., Li, X., Bell, T.: Low temperature plasma carburising of austenitic stainless steels for improved wear and corrosion resistance. Surf. Eng. 15(1), 49–54 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1179/026708499322911647

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mr. S.O. Awojobi and Mr. R. (A) Yahya of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department, University of Ilorin for their technical support during the experimentation. The unrestricted access to Geology laboratory equipments is also acknowledged and the Authors sincerely expressed their appreciation to the Head of Department of Geology and Mineral Science, Dr. R. B Bale. The Authors wish to thank Emerald group publishing. We are specifically grateful to Emerald African Management Research Fund and Africa Academy of Management, AFAM, in association with International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications, INASP, and International Academy of African Business and Development (IAABD) for financial support to the research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria

    Ismaila Idowu Ahmed, Aminat Titilayo Mohammed, Taiwo Yahaya, Ibrahim Owolabi Ambali & Jeleel Adekunle Adebisi

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

    Sulaiman Abdulkareem

  3. Institute of NanoEngineering Research, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

    Bamidele Lawrence Bayode

Authors
  1. Ismaila Idowu Ahmed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aminat Titilayo Mohammed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sulaiman Abdulkareem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Taiwo Yahaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ibrahim Owolabi Ambali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Bamidele Lawrence Bayode
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jeleel Adekunle Adebisi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ismaila Idowu Ahmed.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahmed, I.I., Mohammed, A.T., Abdulkareem, S. et al. Potential of Cow Horn for Carbonitriding Treatment of Steel. Waste Biomass Valor 10, 1969–1978 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0222-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0222-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation