Precipitation hardening stainless steel

Precipitation hardening stainless steel refers to a kind of high strength stainless steel, PH steel, which adds different types and quantities of strengthening elements on the basis of the chemical composition of stainless steel and precipitates different types and quantities of carbides, nitrides, carbonitrides and intermetallic compounds through precipitation hardening process, which not only improves the strength of steel but also maintains sufficient toughness. Depending on the metallographic structure of the matrix, precipitation hardening stainless steel can be divided into three types: martensitic, Semi-austenitic and austenitic.

Precipitation hardening stainless steel can obtain a class of stainless steel with high strength, toughness and corrosion resistance by adding hardening elements alone or in combination.

According to the content of main alloying elements in steel and the hardening elements added, the steel can be divided into four categories, namely:

(1) Martensite precipitation hardening stainless steel, which generally contains 0.1% less carbon. By adding hardening elements (copper, aluminium, titanium and aluminium, etc.) to strengthen, to make up for the lack of strength. Chromium content is generally higher than 17%, and appropriate nickel is added to improve corrosion resistance.

(2) The maraging stainless steel contains no more than 0.03% carbon to ensure the toughness, corrosion resistance, weldability and workability of the maraging matrix, and 12% chromium to ensure corrosion resistance. In addition, alloy element drill is added to further improve the heat treatment effect of steel.

(3) Semi-austenitic, i.e. transitional precipitation hardening stainless steel, contains not less than 12% chromium. The section steel with low carbon content and aluminium as its main precipitation hardening element has better comprehensive properties than martensitic precipitation hardening stainless steel.

(4) Austenite precipitation hardening stainless steel is a kind of stainless steel with stable austenite structure in quenching and aging state. It contains nickel (more than 25%) and manganese, and chromium (more than 13%). In order to ensure good corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance, titanium, aluminium, vanadium or phosphorus are usually added as precipitation hardening elements, and trace elements such as boron, vanadium and nitrogen are added to obtain excellent comprehensive properties.

Precipitation hardening stainless steel has high strength, high toughness, high corrosion resistance, high oxidation resistance, excellent formability, weldability and other comprehensive properties.

It is widely used in advanced industry and civil industry, such as typical precipitation hardening stainless steel 17-4PH. It can be used to make structures below 370 C, requiring corrosion resistance, wear resistance and high strength.

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