Nitrogen strengthening of a martensitic steel : Relation between microstructure and mechanical behaviour

• Published in: Acta materialia Vol. 45; no. 7; pp. 2789 - 2799
• Main Authors: FRANCE, C, KLÖCKER, H, LE COZE, J, FRACZKIEWICZ, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Science 01.07.1997
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deformation, plasticity, and creep; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Metals. Metallurgy; Physics; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Alloy steel; Young modulus; Martensitic steels; Mechanical properties; Sintered steel; Nitrogen additions; Property structure relationship; Steels; Experimental study; Powder metallurgy; Microhardness; Flow stress
• ISSN: 1359-6454; 1873-2453
• DOI: 10.1016/S1359-6454(96)00379-5

Four synthetic martensitic steels containing different nitrogen levels were prepared by powder technique and HIP. The base composition of the four alloys corresponds to H13 steel except for the carbon content. The nitrogen contents of the different specimens are, respectively, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt.%. The flow stresses and Young's moduli of the four alloys were determined between room temperature and 600 deg C. The volume fractions of micron-size and manometric second-phase particles were determined as a function of the total nitrogen content. The mechanical and microstructural analyses show that nitrogen strengthening of martensitic tool steel is suitably described by Orowan's mechanism.