20Cr2Ni4 is a low alloy carburizing steel widely used in the manufacture of mechanical parts that require high strength and wear resistance. This article will introduce the chemical composition, performance characteristics, main uses, and heat treatment process of 20Cr2Ni4 in detail to help readers fully understand this material.
Carbon Steel
20Cr2Ni4 Material Data Sheet
Chemical Composition
| Element | Composition (%) |
|---|---|
| C | 0.17 – 0.23 |
| Si | ≤ 0.37 |
| Mn | 0.30 – 0.60 |
| Cr | 1.40 – 1.80 |
| Ni | 3.25 – 3.75 |
| P | ≤ 0.030 |
| S | ≤ 0.030 |
Chemical Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Hardenability | High (improved by chromium and nickel) |
| Corrosion Resistance | Moderate (not as high as stainless steel) |
Physical Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 7.85 g/cm³ |
| Tensile Strength | 800 – 1000 MPa |
| Yield Strength | 600 – 800 MPa |
| Elongation at Break | 12% – 15% |
| Modulus of Elasticity | 210 GPa |
Performance Characteristics
Hardness: Achieves high surface hardness through carburizing, quenching, and tempering.
Strength: Exhibits high tensile strength and toughness, making it suitable for high-stress applications.
Wear Resistance: Chromium and nickel content enhances wear resistance, ensuring longevity in demanding conditions.
Machinability: Good machinability in an annealed state; careful handling is required during heat treatment to avoid distortion and cracking.
Heat Treatment Process
The heat treatment process of 20Cr2Ni4 mainly includes:
Carburizing: Introducing carbon into the surface layer to increase the surface hardness.
Quenching: Rapid cooling to change its structure and enhance hardness.
Tempering: Controlled heating to achieve the desired balance of hardness and toughness.
Main Applications
Due to its excellent performance, 20Cr2Ni4 is widely used in the following fields:
Gears: Gears with high strength and wear resistance, ensuring transmission efficiency and durability.
Shafts: Shafts in various mechanical systems, are widely adopted due to their good toughness and wear resistance.
Bearings: Bearings are used to withstand high loads and rotational stress.
High-Stress Parts: Mechanical parts such as crankshafts, camshafts, and heavy fasteners.
The Role of Alloying Elements Added to 20Cr2Ni4 Steel
(1) The addition of Cr and Ni elements to 20Cr2Ni4 steel is mainly to improve the hardenability of the steel, in addition, Ni elements help to improve the toughness of the steel.
(2) 20Cr2Ni4 steel Si, Mn elements are also mainly to improve the hardenability of steel, both solid solutions strengthening matrix organization and improve the role of tempering stability of the matrix organization.
(3) 20Cr2Ni4 steel added Cr, and Ni elements, can enhance the corrosion resistance of steel.
(4) due to the high content of C elements and Cr, Ni elements, 20Cr2Ni4 steel cold deformation plasticity is medium, cutting and machining performance is general, welding performance is poor, white point tendency is large, tempering brittleness is significant.
(5) 20Cr2Ni4 steel is carburized steel but can be tempered, and can be used in the tempered state.
(6) 20Cr2Ni4 steel more cold extrusion molding method of manufacturing plastic molds. Then by carburizing or carbonitriding + quenching, low-temperature tempering treatment, the steel surface presents high fatigue strength, high hardness, and wear resistance, while the heart maintains a high toughness, and can meet the mold use requirements.
