Microstructural evolution under tempering heat treatment in AISI H13 hot-work tool steel

Abstract

The steel studied in this work belongs to the hot working class of tool steels in its applications it is essential that the tool steel have high mechanical strength properties at high temperatures in order to avoid failure due to thermal fatigue, plastic deformation, crack propagation and wear. In high temperature applications the most desirable properties are the hot hardness (Red-Hardness), tempering resistance and fatigue resistance. To meet these requirement alloying elements with strong carbide formation such as Cr, V and Mo are used. The softening resistance of these tool steels is determined by changes suffered by the alloy carbides at high temperature and due to the recovery of the martensitic structure. Thus, the final effects of heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the AISI H13 tool steel were studied. Microstructural characterization of samples was performed with the aid of the x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques.