Shanghai Yanxin Metal Materials Co., Ltd.

15-7 Mo Stainless Steel — Aerospace-Grade High Strength and Toughness Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel

2026/08/02
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15-7 Mo Stainless Steel

15-7 Mo is a semi-austenitic precipitation hardening stainless steel that combines high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and minimal distortion during heat treatment. In the annealed condition, this alloy offers excellent formability and can achieve an outstanding combination of mechanical properties through simple heat treatment processes. It is widely used in aerospace components requiring high-temperature strength, such as retaining rings, springs, diaphragms, and aircraft bulkheads.


Key Features

High Strength and Hardness

  • Yield strength can reach up to 260 ksi (1,793 MPa) in the CH 900 condition.

Excellent Corrosion Resistance

  • Superior corrosion resistance compared with 410, 420, and 431 stainless steels in the TH 1050 and RH 950 conditions.

Minimal Heat Treatment Distortion

  • Excellent dimensional stability, making it ideal for precision components.

Good Formability

  • In the annealed condition, its forming characteristics are similar to 301 stainless steel.

Stable High-Temperature Performance

  • Suitable for structural components operating under elevated temperature conditions.


Chemical Composition (Weight %)

Element

Min.

Max.

Element

Min.

Max.

Chromium (Cr)

14.0

16.0

Molybdenum (Mo)

2.00

3.00

Nickel (Ni)

6.50

7.75

Aluminum (Al)

0.75

1.50

Carbon (C)

0.09

Manganese (Mn)

1.00

Silicon (Si)

1.00

Sulfur (S)

0.04

Phosphorus (P)

0.04


Physical Properties

Density

Condition

Imperial (lb/in³)

Metric (g/cm³)

Condition A

0.282

7.804

TH 1050 Condition

0.277

7.685

RH 950 Condition

0.277

7.680

Thermal conductivity (TH 1050 state)

Temperature

°F

°C

Thermal Conductivity

70

21

104 Btu·in/(ft²·h·°F) [15.1 W/m·K]

600

316

136 Btu·in/(ft²·h·°F) [19.7 W/m·K]

Thermal expansion coefficient (state A)

Temperature Range

°F

°C

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

70–200

21–93

8.5 × 10⁻⁶/°F (14.4 × 10⁻⁶/°C)

70–1000

21–538

9.4 × 10⁻⁶/°F (16.9 × 10⁻⁶/°C)

Elastic Modulus: 29.0 × 10³ ksi (200 GPa)


Heat Treatment Process

Three-Step Heat Treatment Process

Austenite Conditioning

  • Prepares the material for subsequent phase transformation.

Cooling Transformation

  • Transformation of austenite into martensite (T Condition or R100 Condition).

Precipitation Hardening

  • Achieves the final service conditions of TH 1050 or RH 950.

Achieving High Mechanical Properties

  • Condition A material can be cold worked to transform into Condition C (martensitic structure).

  • After machining, a single low-temperature aging treatment can further harden the material to the CH 900 condition.


Mechanical Properties

Condition

Tensile Strength

Yield Strength (0.2% Offset)

Elongation (2 inches)

Hardness

ksi (MPa)

ksi (MPa)

%

HRC

Condition A

130 (896)

55 (372)

35

B88

TH 1050

210 (1448)

200 (1379)

7

C44

RH 950

240 (1655)

225 (1552)

6

C48

Condition C

220 (1517)

190 (1310)

5

C45

CH 900

265 (1828)

260 (1793)

2

C50


Processing Performance

Formability

Condition A:

  • Formability is comparable to 301 stainless steel. It exhibits rapid work hardening, and intermediate annealing may be required for deep drawing or complex forming operations.

Springback:

  • Similar to 301 stainless steel.

Condition C:

  • The material has extremely high hardness and strength; appropriate machining and forming techniques are required.

Weldability

  • Compatible with conventional fusion welding and resistance welding processes, with better weldability than 17-4 PH stainless steel.

  • The high aluminum content may reduce weld penetration and promote slag formation during welding.

  • Post-weld austenite conditioning and precipitation hardening heat treatment are required to achieve maximum strength.

  • Recommended Welding Filler Metals: W 15-7 Mo or W 17-7 PH

Corrosion Resistance

  • The corrosion resistance of TH 1050 and RH 950 conditions is superior to standard hardenable stainless steels such as Type 410, 420, and 431 stainless steels.

  • Corrosion resistance is slightly lower than that of 304 stainless steel.

Typical Applications

Aerospace Applications:

  • Aircraft bulkheads

  • Honeycomb sandwich panels

Precision Components:

  • Retaining rings

  • Springs

  • Diaphragms

High-Temperature Components:

  • Aircraft structural components requiring high strength at elevated temperatures

Welded and Brazed Components:

  • Welded and brazed honeycomb panels


Conclusion

15-7 Mo stainless steel provides an ideal material solution for aerospace and precision manufacturing applications through its unique semi-austenitic precipitation hardening characteristics. Its excellent combination of high strength, good corrosion resistance, and minimal distortion during heat treatment makes it a preferred material for demanding engineering applications.

Whether in the ultra-high-strength CH 900 condition or the balanced-performance TH 1050 condition, this alloy delivers reliable performance to meet a wide range of engineering requirements.