Effect of lath microstructure on the mechanical properties of flow-formed C-250 maraging steels

A solution treated C-250 maraging steel tubing pre-form was cold forward flow-formed into a seamless tube to attain a 79% wall thickness reduction. Various heat treatments were then conducted on the tube to strengthen the material. This study found that although direct aging treatment could generate the tensile strength exceeded the specification's requirement in all the heat treatment attempts, the C-250 steel suffered loss of ductility in percentage elongation. Through “solution + aging” treatment, the steel's ductility was much improved and tensile properties can still meet the specification. The pre-treatment of high homogenization temperature could produce coarse lath martensitic microstructure and result in a decrease of the tensile strength of the C-250 steel. Furthermore, the C-250 steel also showed the presence of seemingly globular precipitates within the lath structure. Detailed discussion of mechanical properties obtained for each of the heat-treated steels in terms of microstructures and metallographic works was presented.