A Study on the Effect of Prior Hot Forging on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of AISI D2 Steel After Quenching

The effect of hot forging and heat treatment parameters (austenitization temperature, quenching medium and tempering temperature) on the microstructure and mechanical properties (hardness, impact strength and wear resistance) of AISI D2 steel has been studied. It has been established that during hot forging, the primary M₇C₃ carbides in the steel structure are transformed into secondary M₂₃C₆ carbides. This leads to hardening of the steel, since the secondary M₂₃C₆ carbides are the main factors in its increased strength and wear resistance. Carrying out of quenching after forging contributes to an increase in the number of secondary carbides and their more uniform distribution in the steel structure, which leads to an increase in its hardness, toughness, and wear resistance.