INFLUENCE OF DEEP CRYOGENIC TREATMENT ON THE PROPERTIES OF CONVENTIONAL AND PM HIGH SPEED STEELS

Abstract

The influence of Deep Cryogenic Treatment (DCT) on the properties of four wrought and PM high speed steels was investigated. Hardness and (apparent) fracture toughness Ka were measured to highlight the possible influence of DCT carried out before and after tempering. Dry sliding wear tests were carried using a block on disc configuration. The properties of the two wrought steels, HS6-5-2 (AISI M2) and HS6-5-2-5 (AISI M35), highlight a well defined influence of DCT. HS6-5-2 shows a remarkable improvement in abrasive wear resistance without any hardness increase. The most promising result is obtained by carrying out DCT before tempering. The opposite occurs by HS6-5-2-5, containing about 4.8%Co, whose wear resistance decreases in any treatment condition including DCT. PM steels show a less significant change in properties, since these are mainly controlled by the high amount of evenly distributed primary carbides which are not influenced by DCT. A slight increase in wear resistance was observed just for HS6-5-3. A general worsening was observed for HS6-5-3-8, namely HS6-5-3 plus 8%Co. In the light of results here presented cobalt seems to play a negative effect with respect to the low temperature conditioning of martensite.