1045 steel can be nitrided, but I don’t recommend it as the first choice.
Reasons:
1. Lack of nitriding basis: 1045 steel contains none of the strong nitride-forming elements Cr, Mo, and Al.
2. Poor nitriding effect: Surface hardness and wear resistance are far lower than alloy nitriding steel.
3. Long processing time and high cost, not cost-effective.
More recommended: