16Cr Martensitic Stainless (var. 9)

A high-carbon, cobalt-strengthened martensitic stainless steel with elevated vanadium and molybdenum alloying, designed to achieve very high hardness and strength through precipitation and secondary hardening mechanisms. This steel is used in demanding wear and fatigue-resistant applications where corrosion resistance must be balanced against extreme mechanical loading, such as bearing races, turbine components, and tooling that operates in mildly corrosive or high-temperature environments. The cobalt addition (12.8%) is particularly significant, pushing this variant toward the properties and applications more typical of premium tool steels and aerospace-grade martensitic stainless alloys, making it attractive where conventional 13-17% Cr martensitic stainless steels fall short in strength or wear resistance.