Cavitation erosion of thermomechanically processed 13/4 martensitic stainless steel

This investigation is concerned the cavitation erosion resistance of 13/4 martensitic stainless steel that was processed in a Gleeble® 3800 simulator using thermomechanical treatments at two different temperatures (1000 °C and 1100 °C) and with two strain rates (0.01 s−1 and 0.1 s−1). Microstructures of the as-received and thermomechanically processed 13/4 martensitic stainless steel specimens were documented by light optical microscopy, and worn surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The erosion behavior was quantified using cumulative volume loss, volume loss rate, and roughness parameters plotted as a function of exposure time. The erosion characteristics were correlated with microstructure and mechanical properties. The best cavitation erosion resistance was exhibited by the specimen that was thermomechanically processed at 1000 °C using a strain rate of 0.1 s−1. This result is attributed to microstructural refinement and higher hardness that led to a longer incubation period.