Stereological assessment of secondary carbide particles in nonledeburitic high speed steels

The secondary carbide particles in nonledeburitic high-speed steel were investigated. It was found that employing the scanning electron microscopy was indispensable for the stereological assessment of the carbide phase in this steel. The M₂₃C₆ type carbides precipitated during tempering have been characterized by area fraction, mean particle size (mean area of plane section), size distributions, mean shape factor and shape factor distribution. Owing to longer time of austenitizing area fraction and mean particle size of the secondary carbides increased, which was accompanied by a more homogeneous distribution of these particles in the matrix.