The resistance to cavitation erosion of CrMnN stainless steels

The resistance to cavitation erosion (CE) was measured using a magnetostric tive device and a rotating disk device for some CrMnN stainless steels (Chi nese patent ZL 90 1 02197.0). The microstructural changes in the surface la yer before and after CE were analyzed by use of Mossbauer spectra, Results show that the resistance to CE of duplex austenitic-martensitic CrMnN stain less steels is much better than that of ZG0Cr13Ni4-6Mo and ZG0Cr16Ni5Mo ste el, which are in common use for hydraulic turbine runners. The metastable a ustenite and its changes in the process of CE are the key factors why the C rMnN stainless steels have excellent resistance to cavitation erosion.