Effect of Copper Addition on the Microstructure, Hardness and Antibacterial Properties of Martensitic Stainless Steel (410s)

Effect of Cu addition (5 wt.%) on the microstructure, hardness and antibacterial properties of the martensitic stainless steel (AISI 410s ) was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and hardness measurement. Antibacterial performance was evaluated according to JIS Z 2801:2000 against Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, the common pathogen of human disease. After austenitization treatment at 1050 C in a salt bath and oil quenching, the AISI 410s steel showed dual phase martensite-ferrite microstructure. Addition of about 5 wt.% Cu eliminated ferrite and led to a fully martensitic microstructure in the quenched condition. The latter associated with primary Cu precipitates formed during austenitization treatment. Aging treatment of the quenched steels was carried out at 500-700 C for one hour in a salt bath. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the formation of fine, Cu-rich precipitates in aged Cu-bearing stainless steel (AISI 410s-Cu). After aging for one hour at 500 C, hardness of AISI 410s steel increased for 30 HV while that of AISI410s-Cu steel increased for about 100 Hv. AISI 410s steel represented no antibacterial performance against the E. coli bacteria but hopefully AISI 410s-Cu stainless steel exhibited strong antibacterial performance. Both of the primary and aging Cu precipitates are thought to release Cu ions to biological environment which act toxically against the E. coli bacteria.