Advanced precipitation hardened Custom 465® stainless steel is characterized by a combination of high strength, toughness and good corrosion resistance. It is used in various applications, including aerospace and medical. Here, we carried out metallurgical characterizations of this steel after different thermal treatments. Specimens were characterized by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM), Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). η-Ni3Ti precipitates and reverted austenite were quantified. Their size and distribution at the nano-scale could explain the difference in the steel properties following various aging conditions.
This presentation shall focus on transmission Kikuchi diffraction analyses in the SEM for nano-scale imaging of reverted austenite in Custom 465 stainless steel. The austenite phase was found both inside and at the inter-lamella interfaces. Austenite distribution and locations are demonstrated in the various aging treatments. The amount of reverted austenite was also quantified by XRD and compared to the EBSD.
