It is know that austenizing steel produces hard martensite after quenching, and the properties of it can be improved by tempering to create better toughness while making the metal softer and more ductile.
Yet say this method is used for a piston (which was quenched then tempered at 600 degrees C). What happens to the hardness of the low alloy steel in standard operating temperatures up to 425 degrees C?
Are there any further phase changes? Can something like precipitation hardening occur or are these temperatures too low for an already QT steel.
If you properly quench a hardenable steel and then temper it at 600 C, you sure can use it at 420 without any damage to microstructure and properties. The only one additional question should be asked and replied: how much time your part should serve at 420 C. If the service is long-period, it may cause some undesirable microstructural change with time.
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