Mechanical Property Evolution of Heat Treated Stainless Steel Grade 304

AUSTENITIC stainless steels represent a large family of alloys and end uses. These steels enjoy a wide range of applications because of good corrosion resistance, good high and low temperature strength and ductility, and excellent weld ability. The high work-hardening rate and ductility of austenitic stainless steels in the annealed state allows the application of severe forming operations. Engineering materials, mostly steels are heat treated under controlled sequence of heating and cooling to alter their physical and mechanical properties to meet desired engineering applications. In this study, the effect of heat treatment (annealing, normalizing, hardening, and tempering) on the microstructure and some selected mechanical properties were studied. Erosion of metal parts is the serious problem in many engineering systems such as turbines, boilers, etc. SS304 and SS310 steel is used to make nozzle of the boiler for feeding coal with certain advantages i.e. price, strength & formability. But the main limitation of stainless steel is erosion due to which the nozzle needs to be replaced frequently. Hard facing is commonly applied method to improve the surface properties of components