Optimisation of Mechanical Properties of 18%Ni350 Grade Maraging Steel Using Novel Heat Treatment

The paper presents results of examinations of properties and microstructure of maraging steel grade MS350 (18Ni350) produced by a novel heat treatment method called „short-time ageing“. It has been found that maraging steel after application of the short-time ageing achieves unique properties, in particular good combination of strength and impact toughness. After short-time ageing for time of heating up to 600 seconds at temperature of 550°C hardness in the range from 48 to 56 HRC, tensile strength ranging from 2000 to 2250 MPa, yield strength from 1930 to 2170 MPa and total elongation in the range 7-8% as well as notch impact toughness of 20 J/cm² at temperature minus 40°C were obtained. Results of microstructure examination in transmission electron microscope (TEM) with application of high resolution technique (HRTEM) have shown presence of Ni₃Mo nano-precipitates of orthorhombic crystallographic structure. Precipitates were characterized by rod-like shape and were homogenously distributed in martensitic matrix of steel with high density of dislocations. The average size of cross-section of precipitates was ca. 4 nm while length reached several dozen of nm.