What is martensitic stainless steel

What is martensitic stainless steel

Martensitic stainless steel is a stainless steel material with high strength and good corrosion resistance. Its microstructure is a special phase transformation structure composed of lath-shaped martensite. In martensitic stainless steel, the carbon content is relatively high, usually between 0.2% and 1.2%, and contains some alloying elements, such as chromium, nickel, etc., to improve the overall performance of the material.

Stainless steel whose mechanical properties can be adjusted through heat treatment is, in layman's terms, a type of hardenable stainless steel. Typical grades are Cr13 type, such as 2Cr13, 3Cr13, 4Cr13, etc. It has high hardness after quenching and has different strength and toughness combinations at different tempering temperatures. It is mainly used in steam turbine blades, tableware, and surgical instruments. According to differences in chemical composition, martensitic stainless steel can be divided into two categories: martensitic chromium steel and martensitic chromium-nickel steel. According to different structures and strengthening mechanisms, it can also be divided into martensitic stainless steel, martensite and semi-austenitic (or semi-martensite) precipitation hardening stainless steel, and maraging stainless steel.

Martensitic stainless steel is a stainless steel alloy with a martensitic crystal structure. It can be hardened and tempered through aging and heat treatment. The other main types of stainless steel are austenitic, ferritic, duplex and precipitation hardening.