Steels |
---|
Phases |
Microstructures |
Classes |
Other iron-based materials |
Maraging steels (a portmanteau of "martensitic" and "aging") are steels that possess superior strength and toughness without losing ductility. Aging refers to the extended heat-treatment process. These steels are a special class of very-low-carbon ultra-high-strength steels that derive their strength from precipitation of intermetallic compounds rather than from carbon. The principal alloying metal is 15 to 25 wt% nickel.[1] Secondary alloying metals, which include cobalt, molybdenum and titanium, are added to produce intermetallic precipitates.[1]
The first maraging steel was developed by Clarence Gieger Bieber at Inco in the late 1950s. It produced 20 and 25 wt% Ni steels with small additions of aluminium, titanium, and niobium.[2] The intent was to induce age-hardening with the aforementioned intermetallics in an iron-nickel martensitic matrix, and it was discovered that Co and Mo complement each other very well. Commercial production started in December 1960.[3] A rise in the price of Co in the late 1970s led to cobalt-free maraging steels.[4]
The common, non-stainless grades contain 17–19 wt% Ni, 8–12 wt% Co, 3–5 wt% Mo and 0.2–1.6 wt% Ti.[5] Addition of chromium produces corrosion-resistant stainless grades. This also indirectly increases hardenability as they require less Ni; high-Cr, high-Ni steels are generally austenitic and unable to become martensite when heat treated, while lower-Ni steels can.
Alternative variants of Ni-reduced maraging steels are based on alloys of Fe and Mn plus minor additions of Al, Ni and Ti with compositions between Fe-9wt% Mn to Fe-15wt% Mn qualify used.[6] The manganese has an effect similar to nickel, i.e. it stabilizes the austenite phase. Hence, depending on their manganese content, Fe-Mn maraging steels can be fully martensitic after quenching them from the high temperature austenite phase or they can contain retained austenite.[7] The latter effect enables the design of maraging-transformation-induced-plasticity (TRIP) steels.[8]