Magnetic and mechanical hardening of Fe-based alloys

The aim of this work was the analysis of the influence of precipitates on t he magnetic and mechanical properties, during the thermal treatment of a du plex stainless steel at 475 and 550 degreesC, as well as during the thermal aging at 610 degreesC of a Fe-20Mo-5Ni-0.12C alloy. In the duplex stainles s steel it was verified that the precipitation of the alpha' phase inside t he a phase increases the coercive force, H-c, and increases the mechanical hardness of the alpha phase, for the heat treatment at 475 degreesC. In thi s process the mechanical hardness of the gamma phase remains constant. Afte r the heat treatment at 550 degreesC the mechanical hardness of the a phase and the coercive force of the stainless steel remain practically constant. For the Fe-20Mo-5Ni-0.12C alloy the thermal aging at 610 degreesC results in simultaneous magnetic and mechanical hardening. In both cases (steel and alloy) the magnetic and mechanical hardening curves are similar. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.