Thecombinedquadraticorthogonalregressionmethodofexperimentdesignwasemployedtoexploretheeffectsofprocessparametersofplasmanitridingoftantalumsuchastotalpressure,temperatureandoriginalhydrogenmolarfractiononthehardness,roughnessandstructureofnitridingsurfaces.Theregressionequationsofhardness,roughnessandstructureweregivenaccordingtotheresultsofregressionandstatisticanalysis.Andthediffusionactivationenergyofnitrogenintantalumonplasmanitridingconditionswascalculatedaccordingtotheexperimentaldataofhardnessofplasma-nitridingoftantalumvstimeandtemperature.Thediffusionactivationenergycalculatedbelongsto(155.49+10.51)kJ/mol(783-983K).
