Study on primary carbides precipitation in H13 tool steel regarding cooling rate during solidification

This study aims to investigate the primary carbides precipitation in H13 steel solidified at relatively high cooling rates,ranging from 300 to 6,000℃·min^-1,based on in situ observations with a high temperature confocal laser scanning microscope.In the cooling rate range investigated,the solidification microstructure becomes more refined as cooling rate increases and the relationship between the secondary dendrite arm spacing(SDAS),λ2,and cooling rate,.T,can be expressed asλ2=128.45.T-0.124.Regardless of cooling rates,two kinds of primary carbides,i.e.,the Mo-Cr-rich and V-rich carbides,are precipitated along the interdendritic region and most of them are the Mo-Cr-rich carbides.The morphology of Mo-Cr-rich carbide is not obviously influenced by the cooling rate,but that of V-rich carbide is obviously affected.The increasing cooling rate markedly refines the primary carbides and reduces their volume fractions,but their precipitations cannot be inhibited even when the cooling rate is increased to 6,000℃·min^-1.Besides,the segregation ratios(SRs)of the carbides forming elements are not obviously affected by the cooling rate.However,compared with the conventionally cast ingot,the SDAS and primary carbides in the steel solidified at the investigated cooling rates are much finer,morphologies of the carbides have changed significantly,and SRs of the carbides forming elements are markedly greater.The variation of primary carbide characteristics with cooling rate is mainly due to the change in SDAS.

Cerium refinement of grains and primary carbides during solidification of Cr_(4)Mo_(4)V bearing steel

The effect of cerium(Ce)on the solidification microstructure of Cr_(4)Mo_(4)V bearing steel was investigated via a combined experimental and theoretical method.With a trace amount(0.056 wt%)of Ce addition,the coarse columnar grains in as-cast microstructure transform into equiaxed ones,and the average diameter is reduced from 56 to 27μm.The network-like and bulky primary MC and M2C carbides at the interdendritic regions become disconnected and refined,and their volume percentage decreases from4.15 vol%to 2.1 vol%.Ce-inclusions acting as heterogeneous nucleation agents of prior-austenite grains and Ce atoms segregating at grain boundaries,both contribute to the refinement of grains.Thermodynamic calculations reveal that primary carbides are precipitated afterγ-austenite forms near the end of the solidification process.The modification of primary carbides in size and amount is mainly attributed to the isolated remaining melt separated by refinedγ-austenite grains in which the nucleation of carbides is promoted,while the growth is restrained owing to the less segregation of alloying elements.

Effect of rare earth on primary carbides in H13 die steel and their addition method:a review

Larger-sized primary carbides lead to stress concentration during the application of H13 hot-work die steel,resulting in microcracks and fatigue failure.Rare earth was usually added to modify the carbides and inclusions.The existing literature is reviewed on the effect of rare earth on primary carbides in H13 steel.A comprehensive review on the effect of rare earth on the characteristics of primary carbides,i.e.,number,size,morphology,and thermal stability in H13 steel,was done.The precipitation mechanism and nucleation of primary carbides with rare earth were summarized.The position and form of rare earth in steel and their effects on alloying elements segregation were reviewed.The addition techniques of rare earth in H13 steel were compared,and the prospects for other uncommon rare earth and emerging technology were present.Based on the current references,it can be known that adding rare earth facilitated refined and dispersed primary carbides.The size of primary carbides would be reduced,and their morphology would be improved because the rare earth inclusions formed in H13 steel can act as nucleation cores forγ-Fe orδ-Fe,refining the dendritic structure.Besides,the number of primary carbides at grain boundaries would be significantly reduced.However,rare earth had little impact on thermal stability.The nucleation of primary carbides tended to be inhibited due to the modification of inclusions by rare earth which were likely to be nucleation cores for primary carbides.Rare earth had been reported to affect the mechanism and process of primary carbide precipitation.Additionally,the addition of rare earth can inhibit the segregation of alloying elements and carbon diffusion by calculation.Thus,laboratory experiments and theoretical calcu-lations need to be conducted to study the states and evolution of rare earth steels.

Formation and evolution of primary carbides in high-carbon martensitic stainless steel

The micro structure of 10Cr15MoVCo electroslag remelting(ESR)ingot was observed using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope.There are differences in the number,size,and distribution of primary carbides in different positions of ESR ingot.The results show that the two-dimensional morphology of primary carbides is blocky,fibrous,and spherulitic.The three-dimensional morphology of primary carbides is blocky,spherulitic,fibrous,and short rods.X-ray diffraction results show that primary carbides are M_(7)C_(3) carbides.Electron backscattered diffraction results indicate that large-sized primary carbides consist of blocky,fibrous,and spherulitic carbides with different orientations.High-tem-perature diffusion annealing experiments show that as the temperature increases,the continuity between primary carbides decreases,and the precipitated secondary carbides disappear.The area fraction of primary carbides is reduced,but the morphology of primary carbide is unchanged.The effect of high-temperature diffusion annealing on the dissolution of M_(7)C_(3) primary carbon compounds in ESR ingot was limited.

Microstructure and Property of Hypereutectic High Chromium Cast Iron Prepared by Slope Cooling Body-Centrifugal Casting Method

In this paper, the ring-type ingot of hypereutectic high Cr cast iron was obtained by slope cooling bodycentrifugal casting method （SC-CCM）, and its microstructure and impact toughness were investigated, respectively. The results indicated that, first, the primary carbides in the microstructure are prominently finer than those in the hypereutectic high Cr cast iron prepared by conventional casting method. Second, in the ring-type ingot, the primary carbides near radial outer field are finer than those near radial inner field; furthermore, there is dividing field in the microstructure. Finally, the impact toughness values of the specimens impacted on the radial outer face and on the radial inner face are improved respectively about 36% and 138% more than that of the hypereutectic high Cr one prepared by conventional casting method.

Effect of Ti and rare earth on microsegregation and large-sized precipitates of H13 steel

Large-sized precipitates are fatal to the thermal fatigue of H13 hot work die steel.Different amounts of Ti and/or rare earth(RE)were added in H13 steel during electroslag remelting to improve the element segregation and refine the large-sized precipitates.The results show that as Ti content increases from 0.0032 to 0.057 wt.%,the segregation of Cr,Mo and V becomes more severe.V-rich M(C,N)carbides are shorter,and their branches are denser in 3D observation.Moreover,the number density of V-rich M(C,N)carbides with a size less than 2μm increases and that with other sizes decreases.In addition,Ti-rich MN nitrides with the size greater than 4μm increases significantly at high Ti content.When RE content increases from 0.0051 to 0.036 wt.%,the segregation of main alloying elements is first weakened and then aggravated.Compared with that in RE-free H13 steel,V-rich M(C,N)carbides are less developed in 3D observation,and the change in number density is similar to that of Ti-modified alloys.After composite modification of 0.024 wt.%Ti and 0.011 wt.%RE,the segregation of alloying element and V-rich M(C,N)carbides are not significantly improved.