%0 journal article %@ 1359-6462 %A Zhou, T., Spartacus, G., Dahlström, A., Babu, R.P., Davydok, A., Hedström, P. %D 2023 %J Scripta Materialia %P 115496 %R doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2023.115496 %T Computational thermodynamics and kinetics-guided re-engineering of a high-performance tool steel %U https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2023.115496 %X Targeting to obtain fine dispersions of nanoscale precipitates to enhance the mechanical properties of a high-performance tool steel, re-engineering of the alloy composition and heat treatment was guided by computational thermodynamics and kinetics. A prototype alloy was prepared using the designed chemistry and heat treatment. Thereafter, advanced microstructural characterization and mechanical testing confirmed the successful design to reach a high number density of (V, Mo)C precipitates with an average diameter of about 5 nm in the peak-hardened condition, after tempering the martensite at 600 °C for 2 h.