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Influence of Austenitization Parameters on the Precipitation Sequence and the Chemical Homogenization of Austenite in a High-Performance Fe–Ni–Cr–Al–Ti–Mo Stainless Maraging Steel

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Abstract

MLX19 stainless maraging steel grade exhibits a mechanical strength/fracture toughness balance within the required range for landing gear applications. However, the microstructure after the heat treatment still needs to be precisely controlled to obtain a better repeatability of the mechanical properties. This work shows that austenitizing is a critical stage. The influence of austenitization treatment parameters on the microstructure obtained after quenching was thus precisely quantified. It was first revealed that, after a standard austenitization at 850 °C and for specific heating rates and holding times, undissolved β-NiAl precipitates, reaching sizes up to 500 nm, still remain in the as-quenched state, in addition to a high retained austenite fraction. It was also found that large amounts of retained austenite are the result of local heterogeneities in the chemical composition of the austenitic phase prior to quenching, while the undissolved precipitates change the overall chemical composition of the austenitic matrix. New austenitization conditions were thus proposed, leading to a better homogeneity of the chemical composition of the martensitic matrix after quenching.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge DESY (Hamburg, Germany), a member of the Helmholtz Association HGF, for the provision of experimental facilities. Parts of this research were carried out at PETRA III and we would like to thank Andreas Stark and Norbert Schell for assistance in using P07 beamline. The research leading to this result has been supported by the project CALIPSOplus under the Grant Agreement 730872 from the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation HORIZON 2020. Some of the microstructural observations presented in this paper were conducted at the CEMES laboratory and the EBSD analyses were performed at the Centre de microcaractérisation Raimond Castaing, in Toulouse (France). The authors would like to thank Cécile Marcelot for her precious help in the realization of STEM experiments and Arnaud Proietti and Mehdi Salem for their support in the realization of EBSD experiments. Within the Institut Clément Ader laboratory, the authors would also like to thank Sabine Le Roux for her help in the realization of image analysis and Karine Vieillevigne and Serge Tovar for the chemical etchings and the SEM observations.

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Clément Ader (ICA), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IMT Mines Albi, INSA, ISAE-SUPAERO, UPS, Campus Jarlard, 81013, Albi, France

    Stella Ancey-Rocchi, Vanessa Vidal & Denis Delagnes

  2. Aubert & Duval, BP-1, 63770, Les Ancizes-Comps Cedex, France

    Stella Ancey-Rocchi, Thibault Poulain, Denis Bechet & Vincent Huleux

  3. Safran Landing Systems, 64400, Bidos, France

    Stella Ancey-Rocchi, Thomas Billot & Nicolas Binot

  4. CIRIMAT, Université de Toulouse, UPS-INP-CNRS, INP/ENSIACET, 4 allée Emile Monso, BP 44362, 31030, Toulouse Cedex 04, France

    Moukrane Dehmas

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  1. Stella Ancey-Rocchi
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  2. Vanessa Vidal
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Correspondence to Stella Ancey-Rocchi.

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Manuscript submitted January 29, 2021; accepted July 25, 2021.

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Ancey-Rocchi, S., Vidal, V., Poulain, T. et al. Influence of Austenitization Parameters on the Precipitation Sequence and the Chemical Homogenization of Austenite in a High-Performance Fe–Ni–Cr–Al–Ti–Mo Stainless Maraging Steel. Metall Mater Trans A 52, 4623–4635 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-021-06415-1

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