Reclamation and additional alloying of 18Ni(350) maraging steel

The possibility of gainfully utilizing grade 18Ni(350) maraging steel scrap has been investigated, along with the effect of additional alloying with niobium. A vacuum induction melting and casting furnace was used for melting and additional alloying. The cast ingots were hot forged and their properties compared with those of the stock material. The composition of the reprocessed material was found to be within the prescribed range for 18Ni(350) steel, except for some loss in titanium content. The hardness and tensile strength of the recycled steels were similar to those of the stock material. A slight decrease in hardness in the aged condition could be attributed to loss of titanium during remelting. Charpy V-notch impact testing indicated significantly higher toughness in the remelted material; this has been attributed to a homogeneous, refined microstructure and a lower level of inclusions. Additional alloying with 2% Nb not only improved the mechanical properties but also affected the amount of reverted austenite obtained after aging