Application of polymer solutions in the quenching of solubilized 17 4 PH stainless steel

ABSTRACT

The quenching in polymeric solutions represents a significant advance in the heat treatments of different classes of steels. Its application in the cooling, after the solubilization of stainless steels hardened by precipitation 17 4 PH, potentiates a new alternative to the conventional means of cooling in water or oil. The polymeric solutions form a film of high surface tension on the steel surfaces that eliminates the formation of the vapor phase, generating an increase in the kinetics of the boiling and convection stages. In this way, the generated intermetallics present greater homogeneity for subsequent artificial aging. In this study, the effects of quenching in water and in polymeric solutions of 10 and 25% in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the metallurgical and mechanical properties of 17 4 PH stainless steels were analyzed. Subsequently, the samples were submitted to the heat treatment of artificial aging at a temperature of 480°C. The microstructural behavior, microhardness distribution and characteristics related to X ray diffraction (XRD) of the samples were analyzed. The results showed that the use of a 10% PVP polymer solution caused a complete martensitic transformation in the matrix, with higher microhardness values near the surface and homogeneous distribution of precipitates in the artificial aging process. It is concluded that the use of polymeric solutions in the tempering of 17 4 PH stainless steel can contribute to significant advances in their metallurgical and mechanical properties.

Keywords
Stainless steel 17-4 PH; Intensive quenching; polymeric solutions