Corrosion-resistant weldable martensitic stainless steel, process for the manufacture thereof and articles

Abstract

A corrosion-resistant weldable martensitic steel essentially consists of carbon 0.06 to 0.10 weight percent, chromium 15.1 to 16.5 weight percent, nickel 3.5 to 4.45 weight percent, silicon 0.10 to 0.60 weight percent, manganese 0.20 to 0.50 weight percent, at least one element selected from the group consisting of niobium 0.25 to 0.40 weight percent and zirconium 0.05 to 0.20 weight percent, at least one element selected from the group consisting of yttrium 0.05 to 0.20 weight percent, cerium 0.05 to 0.15 weight percent and lanthanum 0.05 to 0.15 weight percent, phosphorus not exceeding 0.025 weight percent, sulfur not exceeding 0.02 weight percent, copper not exceeding 0.20 weight percent, the remainder being substantially iron and unavoidable nonferrous impurities. The process for the manufacture of the steel comprises the steps of preparing a molten mass of said composition, pouring the molten mass into a mould and permitting it to solidify therein followed by cooling an ingot produced. The cooling step is carried out in at least two stages, the first stage residing in cooling the ingot to a temperature laying in martensite transformation start-end interval but not lower than to 100.degree. C., and then in its immediate heating up to tempering temperatures in the range from 600.degree. to 650.degree. C., whereas each subsequent stage comprises cooling the ingot to martensite transformation temperatures but by at least 50.degree. C. lower than the cooling temperature of the previous stage, thus bringing, with such a multistage cooling, the temperature of the ingot down to a value below the temperature of the end of martensite transformation, followed by final tempering in the temperature range of 600.degree. to 650.degree. C. and subsequent cooling to room temperature.

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