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Effect of Austenitizing Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Hardness of Martensitic Stainless Steel AISI 420

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Abstract

The effect of austenitizing on the microstructure and hardness of two martensitic stainless steels was examined with the aim of supplying heat-treatment guidelines to the user that will ensure a martensitic structure with minimal retained austenite, evenly dispersed carbides and a hardness of between 610 and 740 HV (Vickers hardness) after quenching and tempering. The steels examined during the course of this examination conform in composition to medium-carbon AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel, except for the addition of 0.13% vanadium and 0.62% molybdenum to one of the alloys. Steel samples were austenitized at temperatures between 1000 and 1200 °C, followed by oil quenching. The as-quenched microstructures were found to range from almost fully martensitic structures to martensite with up to 35% retained austenite after quenching, with varying amounts of carbides. Optical and scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructures, and X-ray diffraction was employed to identify the carbide present in the as-quenched structures and to quantify the retained austenite contents. Hardness tests were performed to determine the effect of heat treatment on mechanical properties. As-quenched hardness values ranged from 700 to 270 HV, depending on the amount of retained austenite. Thermodynamic predictions (using the CALPHAD™ model) were employed to explain these microstructures based on the solubility of the carbide particles at various austenitizing temperatures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    L. D. Barlow & M. Du Toit

Authors
  1. L. D. Barlow
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  2. M. Du Toit
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Correspondence to M. Du Toit.

Appendix

Appendix

A summary of the results obtained for HEAT 1 and HEAT 2 after various austenitizing heat treatments

Austenitizing temperature

Hardness (HV)

Microstructure

% Retained austenite

Carbide density per mm2

HEAT 1

 1000 °C

664

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

4

181

 1050 °C

678

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

5

131

 1075 °C

684

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

15

87

 1100 °C

653

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

23

84

 1130 °C

474

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

25

81

 1150 °C

308

Martensite and retained austenite

27

43

 1175 °C

279

Martensite and retained austenite

29

0

 1200 °C

270

Martensite and retained austenite

33

0

HEAT 2

 1000 °C

639

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

4

227

 1050 °C

665

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

6

184

 1075 °C

674

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

10

117

 1100 °C

639

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

12

63

 1130 °C

620

Martensite, retained austenite and carbides

15

32

 1150 °C

609

Martensite and retained austenite

17

14

 1175 °C

488

Martensite and retained austenite

21

0

 1200 °C

459

Martensite and retained austenite

24

0

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Barlow, L.D., Du Toit, M. Effect of Austenitizing Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Hardness of Martensitic Stainless Steel AISI 420. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 21, 1327–1336 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-011-0043-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-011-0043-9

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