Aging behavior and mechanical properties of maraging steels in the presence of submicrocrystalline Laves phase particles

Cold rolling and annealing of homogenized Fe–Ni–Mn–Mo–Ti–Cr maraging steels resulted in the formation of submicrocrystalline Fe2(Mo,Ti) Laves phase particles. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, tensile and hardness tests were used to study the microstructure, aging behavior and mechanical properties of the annealed steels. The annealed microstructures showed age hardenability during subsequent isothermal aging at 753 K. Ultrahigh fracture stress but poor tensile ductility was obtained after substantial age hardening in the specimens with 2% and 4% chromium. Increasing chromium addition up to 6% toughened the aged microstructure at the expense of the fracture stress by increasing the volume fraction of retained austenite. The Laves phase particles acted as crack nucleation sites during tensile deformation.