Investigation of Microstructure and Properties of Ultra-High Strength Steel in Aero-Engine Components following Heat Treatment and Deformation Processes

Abstract

C250 steel, renowned for its remarkable strength and toughness, is extensively utilized in the aerospace industry for manufacturing critical components. This research investigates the microstructure and properties of forgings produced through different heat treatment temperatures, aging durations, and thermal cycling intervals. The results demonstrate that the samples were compressed at 1050 °C followed by air-cooling using the conventional maraging treatment. For the cycle heat treatment, temperature was maintained at 1050 °C and cycled 1–2 times, with a heat preservation period of 1 h and subsequent water-cooling. Solution heat treatment at a temperature of 1050 °C, aging for 5 h, and then air hardening were performed to achieve the best forging hardness. Interestingly, the solution time under age hardening conditions had no significant effect on the grain size but had a significant effect on the hardness of martensitic aged steel.