Stainless martensitic steel is not as resistant to corrosion as the previously described austenitic and ferritic steels, but it has uniquely high strength properties and high resistance to abrasion. Content of chromium in the steel is from 11.5 to 17.5%. It can be characterized by relatively high carbon content (from 0.08 to 0.5%), which contributes to hardening properties and increases the level of harness and make the material fragile to some extent. Stainless martensitic steels are not weldable or hardly weldable – the exception is grade 1.4006. These grades can be subject to heat treatment. The obtained martensitic structure is magnetic.
Martensitic steel can be applied in low aggressive environments. It is used for production of devices parts that require hardness, such as screws, springs, pins, pump parts, hydraulic press valves. Moreover, it is used to produce machining tools, surgical instrumentation, metering equipment and other.