[en] Full text: The effect of different substrate temperatures and current densities on the wear behavior of plasma nitride H13 steel was analysed. The tribological properties were evaluated as a function of the phases formed in the near surface. The samples were DC nitrided for 5 h in a plasma with gas ratio of 80N₂ /20H₂ . The temperatures were 400, 430 and 480°C, and low and high current densities were used for each temperature. The formed phases were identified using Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Elemental depth distributions were determined with glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. Coefficient of friction was determined with pin-on-disc tests that used the nitrided sample as the disc and Al₂O₃ sphere as the pin. Wear was evaluated with perfilometry. At 400°C only phase ε phase was observed at low current density while high density showed a mixture of ε, martensite and cementite. The wear rates were 1.4x10^-8 and 1.2x10^-8 mm³ /Nm, respectively. At 430°C ε-phase, martensite and cementite were observed for both samples, however a higher content of martensite was observed in the high current density sample. The wear rates of the samples nitrided in this temperature were 0.9x10^-8 mm³ /Nm for low and 0.8x10^-8 for high current density. At 480°C the ε- and γ´-phases and CrN were observed in the samples nitrided. At low current density the γ´-phase dominated and at high current density the ε-phase was dominant. Wear rates were 1.1x10^-8 mm³ /Nm for both samples. Our results showed that lower wear rates correlated with higher contents of martensite and cementite. (author)