Carbides in M-50 high speed steel

Abstract

The carbides in M-50 high speed tool steel were studied in detail. The dissolution of carbides as a function of austenitizing temperature, and their precipitation as a function of tempering temperature were characterized by X-ray diffraction and microchemical analysis. The carbides in the annealed steel are M23C6, M6C, M2C, and MC. Upon austenitizing, with increasing temperatures, the carbides dissolve in the order: M23C6, metastable M2C, M6C, and MC. The residual carbides in the heat treated steel are MC and stable M2C. The solvus temperatures of M23C6 and M6C were determined. Upon tempering the hardened steel, with increasing tempering temperatures, carbides precipitate in the order: M23C6, metastable M2C, MC, and M6C. It is shown that the composition of the precipitated metastable M2C is different from that of the residual stable M2C and it varies with the tempering temperature. © 1971 ASM International & TMS-The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society.