Experimental study on heat treatment and mechanical behaviour of M50 NiL steel – A review

Abstract

M50 NiL Steel is low carbon high alloy steel with good strength, toughness, better wear and corrosion resistance at elevated temperature, because of this properties it is widely used in aerospace industry. Detection methods such as SEM, XPS, AES and TEM, and potentio dynamic polarization are used to find out corrosion resistance of double element alternate implanted M50 NiL steel. Hot Compression tests are used to study the behaviour of M50 NiL Steel during deformation. Potentio dynamic curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to evaluate the corrosion properties for untreated and carbon ion implanted steels. Development of latest method like LPC Technology to meet the client requirements in industry, where the furnace design and operation has very crucial importance because of its flexibility to perform standard vacuum heat treatment and carburizing cycles. Different treatments like solution and tempering, gives precipitation behaviours of carbides [(V, Cr)-rich MC, (Mo, Fe)-rich M2C, Fe-rich M3C and (Fe, Cr)-rich M7C3] in M50 NiL Carburized Steel after heat treatment. The wear resistance behaviour of nitrided steel pieces will be enhanced by plasma nitriding process, where ultra fine grains and smooth surface of nitrided layer, posses high wear resistance. The mechanical behaviour of M50 Nil steel under carburizing and nitriding (dual) treatments, at the temperatures from 890 °C to 900 °C is helpful and Microstructure analysis can be characterized by XRD and SEM, TEM Methods. The objective of the paper is to review the mechanical behaviour and heat treatment process for better performance of M50 NiL Steel under various heat treatments and ion implementation methods.