Research Article

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE

Volume: 8 Number: 2 December 31, 2025
Shahroz Sakhawat *, Sidra Hafeez1
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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Precipitation hardening stainless steels 17-7PH (semi-austenitic) and 17-4PH (martensitic) were compared under controlled heat treatments using hardness and tensile testing, optical/SEM microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. 17-7PH requires a multi-step route; austenite conditioning → martensitic transformation → aging—that culminates in a tempered martensitic matrix strengthened by NiAl intermetallics, achieving UTS ≈ 1510 ± 10 MPa with 469 ± 9 HV and 13 ± 1% elongation. In contrast, 17-4PH reaches peak properties via direct aging of its martensitic solution-annealed structure, with Cu-rich nano-precipitates delivering UTS ≈ 1660 ± 1 MPa, 493.0 ± 4.0 HV, and 9.8 ± 1% elongation. The results highlight distinct precipitation pathways and processing complexity versus performance trade-offs, while micrographs show clean, undecorated grain boundaries in all aged states, indicating intragranular precipitation-controlled strengthening.

Keywords

Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steels, Heat Treatment, 17-4PH, 17-7PH, Microstructure–Property Relationship, Martensitic Transformation, Semi-Austenitic Stainless Steel, Martensitic Stainless Steel.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Material Characterization

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Sidra Hafeez1 This is me
Pakistan

Publication Date

December 31, 2025

Submission Date

November 10, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 29, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 8 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.70858/tijmet.1821301

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA85FD43PR

Cite

RIS / Bibtex
APA
Sakhawat, S., & Hafeez1, S. (2025). COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. The International Journal of Materials and Engineering Technology, 8(2), 62-66. https://doi.org/10.70858/tijmet.1821301
AMA
1.Sakhawat S, Hafeez1 S. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. TIJMET. 2025;8(2):62-66. doi:10.70858/tijmet.1821301
Chicago
Sakhawat, Shahroz, and Sidra Hafeez1. 2025. “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE”. The International Journal of Materials and Engineering Technology 8 (2): 62-66. https://doi.org/10.70858/tijmet.1821301.
EndNote
Sakhawat S, Hafeez1 S (December 1, 2025) COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. The International Journal of Materials and Engineering Technology 8 2 62–66.
IEEE
[1]S. Sakhawat and S. Hafeez1, “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE”, TIJMET, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 62–66, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.70858/tijmet.1821301.
ISNAD
Sakhawat, Shahroz - Hafeez1, Sidra. “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE”. The International Journal of Materials and Engineering Technology 8/2 (December 1, 2025): 62-66. https://doi.org/10.70858/tijmet.1821301.
JAMA
1.Sakhawat S, Hafeez1 S. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. TIJMET. 2025;8:62–66.
MLA
Sakhawat, Shahroz, and Sidra Hafeez1. “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE”. The International Journal of Materials and Engineering Technology, vol. 8, no. 2, Dec. 2025, pp. 62-66, doi:10.70858/tijmet.1821301.
Vancouver
1.Shahroz Sakhawat, Sidra Hafeez1. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION HARDENING MECHANISMS IN SEMI-AUSTENITIC AND MARTENSITIC STAINLESS STEELS: MICROSTRUCTURE, HEAT TREATMENT, AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. TIJMET. 2025 Dec. 1;8(2):62-6. doi:10.70858/tijmet.1821301

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