Stainless steels, such as 17.4ph, can be precipitation hardened, and other types of steel can be hardened through a process involving heating and quenching. However, not all types of steel can be hardened. Specifically, non-martensitic stainless steels cannot be hardened through the traditional heat treatment process. These include austenitic stainless steels and ferritic stainless steels.
Austenitic stainless steels, such as the commonly used 304 and 316 grades, have a high chromium and nickel content and a stable austenitic structure at room temperature. This structure does not transform into martensite upon cooling, which is the critical phase transformation necessary for hardening in steels. Therefore, they cannot be hardened through conventional heat treatment methods involving quenching.
Ferritic stainless steels, like grades 430 and 446, also have a stable ferritic structure that does not transform into martensite upon cooling. They are typically hardened only through cold working, which increases their strength and hardness but not through the heat and quench process used for martensitic steels.
In summary, non-martensitic stainless steels, including austenitic and ferritic grades, cannot be hardened through the traditional heat treatment processes involving heating and quenching. These types of steels are typically used in applications where corrosion resistance is more critical than high hardness, such as in food processing equipment, chemical containers, and architectural applications.
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