Structure Character of M-A Constituent in CGHAZ of New Ultra-Low Carbon Bainitic Steel under Laser Welding Conditions

800 MPa grade new ultra-low carbon bainitic （NULCB） steel is the recently developed new generation steel. The microstructure in the coarse-grained heat affected zone （CGHAZ） of NULCB steel under laser welding conditions was investigated by thermal simulation. The influence of the cooling time from 800℃ to 500℃.t8/5 （0.3-30 s）, on the microstructure of the CGHAZ was discussed. The experimental results indicate that the microstructnre of the CGHAZ is only the granular bainite which consists of bainitic ferrite （BF） lath and M-A constituent while t8/5 is 0.3-30 s. The M-A constituent consists of twinned martensite and residual austenite, and the change of the volume fraction of the residual austenite in the M-A constituent is very small when t8/5 is between 0.3 and 30 s. The morphology of the M-A constituent obviously changes with the variation of t8/5.As t8/5 increases, tile average width, gross and shape parameter of the M-A constituent increase, while the line density of the M-A constituent decreases.

Bainite Transformation Under Continuous Cooling of Nb-Microalloyed Low Carbon Steel

Utilizing Gleeble-1500 thermomechanical simulator, the influences of hot deformation parameters on continuous cooling bainite transformation in Nb-microalloyed low carbon steel were investigated. The results indicate that bainite starting temperature decreases with raising cooling rate and increases with increasing deformation temperature. Deformation has an accelerative effect on the bainite transformation when the specimens are deformed at 950 ℃. When the deformation temperature increases, the effect of deformation on bainite starting temperature is weakened. The amount of bainite is influenced by strain, cooling rate, and deformation temperature. When the specimens are deformed below 900 ℃, equiaxed ferrites are promoted and the bainite transformation is suppressed.

Effects of Deformation on Bainite Transformation During Continuous Cooling of Low Carbon Steels

Hot deformation experiments were carried out on Gleeble 1500 thermo-mechanical simulator. The bainite transformation after deformation was investigated by optical microstructure analysis. The results indicated that the deformation accelerated the bainite transformation when the deformation was carried out at high temperature and no or little ferrite was precipitated before bainite transformation; when the deformation was carried out at low temperature, the deformation hindered the bainite transformation because a lot of ferrite precipitated before bainite transformation.

Kinetics of bainite-to-austenite transformation during continuous reheating in low carbon microalloyed steel

A dilatometer was used to study the kinetics of bainite-to-austenite transformation in low carbon microalloyed steel with the initial microstructure of bainite during the continuous reheating process. The bainite-to-austenite trans- formation was observed to take place in two steps at low heating rate. The first step is the dissolution of bainite, and the second one is the remaining bainite-to-austenite transformation controlled by a dissolution process. The calculation result of the kinetics of austenite formation shows that the two steps occur by diffusion at low heating rate. However, at high heating rate the bainite-to-austenite transformation occurs in a single step, and the process is mainly dominated by shear. The growth rate of austenite reaches the maximum at about 835℃ at different heating rates and the growth rate of austenite as a function of temperature increases with the increase in heating rate.

Effect of zirconium addition on the austenite grain coarsening behavior and mechanical properties of 900 MPa low carbon bainite steel

The ultra-fine bainitic microstructure of a 900 MPa low carbon bainitic Cu-Ni-Mo-B steel was obtained by a newly developed relaxation precipitation control （RPC） phase transformation processing. In a pan-cake like prior-austenite grain, the micro- structure consisted of lath bainite, a little of abnormal granular bainite, and acicular ferrite. The effect of zirconium carbonitrides on the austenite grain coarsening behavior was studied by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The results show that, the lath is narrower with increasing cooling rate. The ratio of all kinds of bainitic microstructure is proper with the intermediate cooling rate; and Zr-containing precipitates distribute uniformly, which restrains austenite grain growing in heat-affected welding zone.

Effect of Ultra-low Temperature on Carbonation Performance of SFRRC and Prediction Model

Through the rapid carbonation test of SFRRC with different fiber volume fractions at ultralow temperature,the influence of ultra-low temperature damage on the carbonation resistance of SFRRC was analyzed,which provides a theoretical basis for the application of SFRRC in ultra-low temperature engineering.The experimental results show that ultra-low temperatures can significantly weaken the carbonization resistance of SFRRC.When the temperature reaches 160℃,the carbonization depth increases by 67.66%compared with the normal state.The proper amount of steel fiber has an evident influence on the carbonation resistance of the material.However,when the addition amount exceeds the optimum content,the carbonation resistance of the material decreases.The grey prediction model established by constructing the original sequence can reasonably predict the carbonation resistance of SFRRC after ultra-low temperatures.

EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON CORROSION FATIGUE BEHAVIOUR OF A LOW CARBON BAINITE STEEL

The behaviour towards corrosion fatigue of low carbon bainite steel with various microstructures after tempered at different temperatures has been examined. The susceptibility of the steel to corrosion fatigue may be improved by tempering at 300℃.

Mechanical Method Determining Precipitation in an Ultra-Low Carbon Bainitic Steel

Stress relaxation was chosen as the best method for monitoring the precipitation process. Tests were carried out on an ultra-low carbon bainitic steel containing Mn, Nb and B over 800~950℃. Specimens were solu- tion treated at 1250℃ for a certain holding period. A prestain of 20% was applied at a strain rate of 0.1/s. The exper- imental results are displayed by a set of stress vs. 1g(time) curves different from the typical stress relaxation curves. There are two singularities forming a stress plateau on the stress vs.1g(time) curves when precipitates could be observed. Suppose the first one is the start of precipitation (Ps), and the second represcnts the fihish (Pf). As a result Precipitation-Time-Temperature relationship is described as C-shape curves based on two points. This mechanical method is suitable and precise for measuring precipitates in microalloyed steels during hot working.

Effect of austempering time on microstructure and properties of a low-carbon bainite steel

The effect of austempering time after the bainitic transformation on the microstructure and property in a low-carbon bainite steel was investigated by metallography and dilatometry. The results showed that by prolonging the austempering time after the bainite transformation, the amount of large-size martensite/austenite islands decreased, but no significant change of the amount and morphology of bainite were observed. In addition, more austenite with a high carbon content was retained by prolonging the holding time at the bainite transformation temperature.Moreover, with a longer holding time, the elongation was improved at the expense of a small decrease in tensile strength. Finally, the Avrami equation B(RF) = 1-exp(-0.0499 × t^0.7616) for bainite reaction at 350℃ was obtained for the tested steel. The work provided a reference for tailoring the properties of low-carbon steels.

INFLUENCE OF HOT DEFORMATION ON CONTINUOUSCOOLING BAINITIC TRANSFORMATION IN A LOWCARBON STEEL

The influence of hot deformation conditions on continuous cooling bainitic transformation has been investigated for a low carbon microalloyed steel. The CCT diagrams show that deformation in unrecrpstallized austcnite ation can accelerate transformation process. Bainitic transformation in intermediate transformation temperature region is prominent, and the proeutectoid polygonal ferrite transformation at evelated high temperature is suppressed. According to optical and TEM analyses, low carbon bainitic ferrite is characterized by granular and lathlike ferrite, based on the cooling rate and deformation conditions. For nondeformation, groaps of coarse parallel ferrite lath form from the prior austenite grain boundaries with the same crystallographic orientation. For heavy deformaton, cell structure within the austenite grains due to the high dislocation density formed, which provides more nucleation sites for bainite ferrite. So deformation can discontinue the growth of ferrite laths and decrease the length of ferrite laths.

Effect of tempering temperature on the mechanical properties and microstructure of an copper-bearing low carbon bainitic steel

The effect of tempering temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-high strength, copperbearing, low-carbon bainitic steel has been investigated in the experiment. The results showed that the microstructure was mainly the laths of bainite in the as-quenched steel. The bainitic laths were restored and combined after the steel tempered at various tempera- tures. There were rnartensite/austenite （M/A） islands and numerous dislocations within and between the bainitic laths, while very t-me precipitates of ε-Cu were also observed within the laths. With increasing the tempered temperature from 400 to 600℃, the yield strength （YS） increased from 877 to 957 MPa, whereas the ultimate tensile strength （UTS） decreased from 1020 to 985 MPa. The Charpy V-notch （CVN） varied from 68.5 to 42 J, and the value was minimal for the steel tempered at 500℃. 2008 University of Science and Technology Beijing. All rights reserved.

Novel mechanism for the modification of Al_2O_3-based inclusions in ultra-low carbon Al-killed steel considering the effects of magnesium and calcium

Many researchers have explored the inclusion modification mechanism to improve non-metallic inclusion modifications in steelmaking. In this study, two types of industrial trials on inclusion modifications in liquid steel were conducted using ultra-low-carbon Al-killed steel with different Mg and Ca contents to verify the effects of Ca and Mg contents on the modification mechanism of Al_2O_3-based inclusions during secondary refining. The results showed that Al_2O_3-based inclusions can be modified into liquid calcium aluminate or a multi-component inclusion with the addition of a suitable amount of Ca. In addition, [Mg] in liquid steel can further reduce CaO in liquid calcium aluminate to drive its evolution into CaO–MgO–Al_2O_3 multi-component inclusions. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that the reaction between [Mg] and CaO in liquid calcium aluminate occurs when the MgO content of liquid calcium aluminate is less than 3 wt% and the temperature is higher than 1843 K.

Effects of Mn on Microstructures and Properties of Hot Rolled Low Carbon Bainitic Steels

Two kinds of Mn-Si-Mo low carbon steels were designed to study the effects of Mn on the microstructures and properties of hot rolled low carbon bainitic steels.To reduce the production cost,a very low Mo content of 0.13%was added in both steels.After hot rolling,the mechanical properties of samples were tested.Microstructure was observed and analyzed by optical microscope and transmission electron microscope.The results show that the strength of tested steels increases with the increase in Mn content,while the elongation decreases.When Mn content increases,the bainite microstructure increases.The results can provide a theoretical basis for composition design and industrial production of low cost low carbon bainitic steels.

High-performance proton exchange membrane fuel cell with ultra-low loading Pt on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes as integrated catalyst layer

Reducing a Pt loading with improved power output and durability is essential to promote the large-scale application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs).To achieve this goal,constructing optimized structure of catalyst layers with efficient mass transportation channels plays a vital role.Herein,PEMFCs with order-structured cathodic electrodes were fabricated by depositing Pt nanoparticles by Ebeam onto vertically aligned carbon nanotubes(VACNTs)growth on Al foil via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.Results demonstrate that the proportion of hydrophilic Pt-deposited region along VACNTs and residual hydrophobic region of VANCTs without Pt strongly influences the cell performance,in particular at high current densities.When Pt nanoparticles deposit on the top depth of around 600 nm on VACNTs with a length of 4.6μm,the cell shows the highest performance,compared with others with various lengths of VACNTs.It delivers a maximum power output of 1.61 W cm^(-2)(H_(2)/O_(2),150 k Pa)and 0.79 W cm^(-2)(H_(2)/Air,150 k Pa)at Pt loading of 50μg cm^(-2),exceeding most of previously reported PEMFCs with Pt loading of<100μg cm^(-2).Even though the Pt loading is down to 30μg cm^(-2)(1.36 W cm^(-2)),the performance is also better than 100μg cm^(-2)(1.24 W cm^(-2))of commercial Pt/C,and presents better stability.This excellent performance is critical attributed to the ordered hydrophobic region providing sufficient mass passages to facilitate the fast water drainage at high current densities.This work gives a new understanding for oxygen reduction reaction occurred in VACNTs-based ordered electrodes,demonstrating the most possibility to achieve a substantial reduction in Pt loading<100μg cm^(-2) without sacrificing in performance.

Formation mechanism of spheroidal carbide in ultra-low carbon ductile cast iron

The formation mechanism of the spheroidal carbide in the ultra-low carbon ductile cast iron fabricated by the metal mold casting technique was systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that the spheroidal carbide belonged to eutectic carbide and crystallized in the isolated eutectic liquid phase area. The formation process of the spheroidal carbide was related to the contact and the intersection between the primary dendrite and the secondary dendrite of austenite. The oxides of magnesium, rare earths and other elements can act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for the spheroidal carbide. It was also found that the amount of the spheroidal carbide would increase with an increase in carbon content. The cooling rate has an important influence on the spheroidal carbide under the same chemical composition condition.

Ratcheting led surface failure of medium carbon bainitic steel under mild operation conditions

The behavior of rolling contact fatigue (RCF) of medium carbon bainitic back-up roll steel was investigated under its actual work conditions. A kind of asperity-scale surface originated cracks, which is lying parallel or at an acute angle to the surfaces, initiated after unidirectional plastic flow of the material in thin surface layer had occurred. Theoretical analysis indicates that they nucleate due to plastic ratcheting induced by asperity contact stresses, and consequently are named as ratcheting cracks. After nucleating and initially propagating, they arrest at some depth and resume propagating till about 70%-80% of the RCF failure life by initially turning parallel to contact surfaces. Their behavior of initiation and propagation is confined to a thin layer prior to the formation of surface distress. According to the critical principle of the preventive grinding strategy, removing the asperity influenced surface layer at about 70%-80% of the RCF failure life can effectively prevent the ratcheting cracks from developing into surface distress, which can lead to the formation of macro-RCF failure soon.

High microwave absorption performances for single-walled carbon nanotube–epoxy composites with ultra-low loadings

Microwave-absorbing polymeric composites based on single-walled carbon nanotubes （SWNTs） are fabricated via a simple yet versatile method, and these SWNT-epoxy composites exhibit very impressive microwave absorption perfor- mances in a range of 2 GHz-18 GHz. For instance, a maximum absorbing value as high as 28 dB can be achieved for each of these SWNT-epoxy composites （1.3-mm thickness） with only 1 wt% loading of SWNTs, and about 4.8 GHz bandwidth, corresponding to a microwave absorption performance higher than 10 dB, is obtained. Furthermore, such low and appro- priate loadings of SWNTs also enhance the mechanical strength of the composite. It is suggested that these remarkable results are mainly attributable to the excellent intrinsic properties of SWNTs and their homogeneous dispersion state in the polymer matrix.

PHASE TRANSFORMATION UNIT OF BAINITIC FERRITE AND ITS SURFACE RELIEF IN LOW AND MEDIUM CARBON ALLOY STEELS

The lath-or plate-shaped bainitic ferrite of low and medium carbon alloy steels consists of packets of ferrite sublaths which are composed of many finer and regular ferrite blocks.They are uniform shear growth units of bainitic phase transformation.No carbide is precipitated from them.The bainitic O-carbides are precipitated from γ-α interface or carbon-rich austenite.The mode of arrangement of the units in ferrite sublath packet is in uni-or bi-di- rection.Single surface relief is produced by the accumulation of uniform shear strains with all the ferrite units arranged unidirectionally in a sublath packet,while tent-shaped surface relief is formed by the integration of the uniform shear strains of two groups with ferrite units piling up in two directions and growing face to face;whereas if they grow back to back,the integra- tion will be responsible for invert-tent-shaped surface relief.The interface trace between two groups of ferrite units in a sublath packet is shown as“midrib”.

Study on laser welded heat-affected zone in new ultralow carbon bainitic steel

800 MPa grade ultralow carbon bainitic （NULCB） steel is the recently developed new generation steel, which was produced by thermo mechanical controlled processing ＆ relaxation-precipitation controlling transformation （TMCP＆RPC） tech- nique. The microstructure and the mechanical properties of the heat-affected zone （HAZ） in NULCB steel under laser welding conditions were investigated by using a Gleeble-1500 thermal simulator. The experimental results indicate that the simplex microstructure in the HAZ is granular bainite that consists of bainite-ferrite （BF） lath and M-A constituent when the cooling time from 800 to 500℃ （t8/5） is 0.3-30 s, and the M-A constituent consists of twinned martensite and residual austenite. As t8/5 increases, the hardness and tensile strength of HAZ decreases, but they are higher than that of the base metal, indicating the absence of softened zone after laser welding. The impact toughness of HAZ increases at first and then decreases when t8/5 increases. The impact energy of HAZ is much higher than that of the base metal when t8/5 is between 3 and 15 s. It indicates that excellent low temperature toughness can be obtained under appropriate laser welding conditions.

Effect of an upward magnetic field on nanosized sulfide precipitation in ultra-low carbon steel

An induction levitation melting （ILM） refining process is performed to remove most microsized inclusions in ultra-low carbon steel （UCS）. Nanosized, spheroid shaped sulfide precipitates remain dispersed in the UCS. During the ILM process, the UCS is molten and is rotated under an upward magnetic field. With the addition of Ti additives, the spinning molten steel under the upward magnetic field ejects particles because of resultant centrifugal, floating, and magnetic forces. Magnetic force plays a key role in removing sub-micrometer-sized particles, composed of porous aluminum titanate enwrapping alumina nuclei. Consequently, sulfide precipitates with sizes less than 50 nan remain dispersed in the steel matrix. These findings open a path to the fabrication of clean steel or steel bearing only a nanosized strengthen- ing phase.