Diffraction peak profile analysis (DPPA) is a valuable method to understand the microstructure and defects present in a crystalline material. Peak broadening anisotropy, where broadening of a diffraction peak doesn’t change smoothly with 2θ or d-spacing, is an important aspect of these methods. There are numerous approaches to take to deal with this anisotropy in metal alloys, which can be used to gain information about the dislocation types present in a sample and the amount of planar faults. However, there are problems in determining which method to use and the potential errors that can result. This is particularly the case for hexagonal close packed (HCP) alloys. There is though a distinct advantage of broadening anisotropy in that it provides a unique and potentially valuable way to develop crystal plasticity and work-hardening models. In this work we use several practical examples of the use of DPPA to highlight the issues of broadening anisotropy.

The influence of martensitic microstructure and prior austenite grain (PAG) size on the mechanical properties of novel maraging steel was studied. This was achieved by looking at two different martensitic structures with PAG sizes of approximately 40 µm and 80 µm, produced by hot rolling to different reductions. Two ageing heat-treatments were considered: both heat-treatments consisted of austenisation at 960 °C, then aging at 560 °C for 5 h, but while one was rapidly cooled the other was slow cooled and then extended aged at 480 °C for 64 h. It is shown that for the shorter ageing treatment the smaller PAG size resulted in significant improvements in strength (increase of more than 150 MPa), ductility (four times increase), creep life (almost four times increase in creep life) and fatigue life (almost doubled). Whereas, the extended aged sample showed similar changes in the fatigue life, elongation and hardness it displayed yet showed no difference in tensile strength and creep. These results display the complexity of microstructural contributions to mechanical properties in maraging steels.

Maraging steels gain many of their beneficial properties from heat treatments which induce the precipitation of intermetallic compounds. We consider here a two-stage heat-treatment, first involving austenitisation, followed by quenching to produce martensite and then an ageing treatment at a lower temperature to precipitation harden the martensite of a maraging steel. It is shown that with a suitable choice of the initial austenitisation temperature, the steel can be heat treated to produce enhanced toughness, strength and creep resistance. A combination of small angle neutron scattering, scanning electron microscopy, electron back-scattered diffraction, and atom probe tomography were used to relate the microstructural changes to mechanical properties. It is shown that such a combination of characterisation methods is necessary to quantify this complex alloy, and relate these microstructural changes to mechanical properties. It is concluded that a higher austenitisation temperature leads to a greater volume fraction of smaller Laves phase precipitates formed during ageing, which increase the strength and creep resistance but reduces toughness.