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Microstructural evolution of a heat-treated H23 tool steel

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Abstract

The microstructure and the stability of carbides after heat treatments in an H23 tool steel were investigated. The heat treatments consisted of austenization at two different austenizing temperatures (1100°C and 1250°C), followed by water quenching and double-aging at 650°C, 750°C, and 800°C with air cooling between the first and second aging treatments. Martensite did not form in the as-quenched microstructures, which consisted of a ferrite matrix, M6C, M7C3, and MC carbides. The double-aged microstructures consisted of a ferrite matrix and MC, M6C, M7C3, and M23C6 carbides. Secondary hardening as a consequence of secondary precipitation of fine M2C carbides did not occur. There was disagreement between the experimental microstructure and the results of thermodynamic calculations. The highest double-aged hardness of the H23 tool steel was 448 HV after austenization at 1250°C and double-aging at 650°C, which suggested that this tool steel should be used at temperatures below 650°C.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Nasional, Bandung, Jl. PHH. Mustapha 23, Bandung, 40124, West Java, Indonesia

    Meilinda Nurbanasari

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK

    Panos Tsakiropoulos & Eric J. Palmiere

Authors
  1. Meilinda Nurbanasari
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  2. Panos Tsakiropoulos
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  3. Eric J. Palmiere
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Correspondence to Meilinda Nurbanasari.

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Nurbanasari, M., Tsakiropoulos, P. & Palmiere, E.J. Microstructural evolution of a heat-treated H23 tool steel. Int J Miner Metall Mater 22, 272–284 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-015-1071-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-015-1071-5

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