Effect of Vanadium on Properties of Age-Hardenable Mn-Cr Type Nonmagnetic Steel

Abstract

The effect of containing vanadium (0∼2.7%) on the properties of 17Mn-12Cr type nonmagnetic austenite steel investigated. The results obtained were as follows.
(1) Hardness, yieled strength after aging treatment increased with the vanadium content. In all the specimens different in vanadium content the highest strength after aging was obtained by aging at 700°C×7 hr.
(2) The highest strength of the 17Mn-12Cr type nonmagnetic austenite steels, containing vanadium(1.1∼2.7%), aged after solution treatment, are all about 120 kg/mm² in yield strength (0.2%), and nearly 15% in elongation. Magnetic permeabilities of these steels in aged condition are in the vicinity of 1.002.
(3) The cause for hardening of these austenitic steels is the formation of particular vanadium carbide by the addition of vanadium which has a strong affinity for carbon and the remarkable precipitation of the vanadium carbide by aging for a short time after solution treatment.