Microstructures and Tensile Properties of Maraging Steel Processed by Equal-Channel Angular Pressing

摘要

An 18Ni (C-250) maraging steel was successfully processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) for a single pass at room temperature. Microstructural observations showed that the martensite laths of 18Ni maraging steel were elongated to more narrow bands with a width of 100-200 nm after ECAP deformation. After ageing treatment, many nano-sized precipitates distributed uniformly within the refined martensite lathes. In comparison with the tensile strength (1940 MPa) of general used steel (solution + aging treatment), the tensile strength of the sample processed by ECAP and subsequent aging treatment was enhanced for more than 100 MPa (above 2050 MPa). The enhancement of tensile properties was attributed to microstructural refinement and uniformly distributed nano-precipitates.