Microstructure and Properties of Two Cr8 Cold Working Die Steel

In this paper, we studied the effect on microstructure and properties during low tempering and high tempering temperature of HNC53 and KD11max Cr8 cold working die steel by means of hardness tester, universal tensile testing machine, pendulum impact tester, metallographic microscope, SEM and EDS. The results showed that the microstructure of the two materials were spheroidized pearlite and large eutectic carbide. After quenching then tempering at high temperature 520°C and low temperature 200°C, the microstructure was martensite, eutectic carbide with large particles and small secondary precipitated carbide which was M7C3 type carbide. When KD11max was tempered at high temperature of 520°C, more nano-level secondary carbonization precipitated, and secondary hardening phenomenon was more obvious. The increase of Si and decrease of C could promote secondary hardening and improve the impact toughness of materials. KD11max impact toughness was better than HNC53.