Journal Published Online: 26 February 2016
Volume 5, Issue 1

Heat Treatment of Precipitation-Hardening Stainless Steels Alloyed With Niobium

CODEN: MPCACD

Abstract

Precipitation-hardening stainless steels are iron-nickel-chromium alloys containing precipitation hardening elements such as aluminum, titanium, niobium, and copper. In this work, heat treatment of a novel precipitation hardening stainless steel using niobium as a forming element for the hardening precipitates was carried out in order to increase its hardness. The steel composition was 0.03C - 0.22Si - 17.86Cr - 3.91Ni - 2.19Mo - 1.96Nb (in wt.%). The samples were solution annealed at 1100°C for 2 h. Cooling was done in oil and the samples were subsequently aged at 500, 550, and 600°C. The solution annealed samples exhibited an average hardness of 30 Hardness Rockwell–Scale C and after the aging treatments, the hardness increased to 46 HRC. The hardness increases during the aging treatments were very fast. A 5 min treatment achieved hardness levels that were close to the maximum obtained for this alloy. Niobium was an efficient precipitation hardeners forming a Laves phase of the type Fe2Nb.

Author Information

Mariani, F.
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, BR
Takeya, G.
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, BR
Casteletti, L.
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, BR
Neto, A.
Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Londrina, Parana, BR
Totten, G.
Department of Materials, Portland State Univ., Portland, Oregon, US
Pages: 16
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Stock #: MPC20150039
ISSN: 2165-3992
DOI: 10.1520/MPC20150039