Effect of austenitization temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties of low-carbon-equivalent carbidic austempered ductile iron

The wear resistances of austempered ductile iron （ADI） were improved through intxoduction of a new phase （carbide） into the ma- txix by addition of chromium. In the present investigation, low-caxbon-equivalent ductile iron （LCEDI） （CE = 3.06%, and CE represents cax- bon-equivalent） with 2.42% chromium was selected. LCEDI was austeintized at two difl＇erent temperatures （900 and 975~C） a^ld soaked for 1 h and then quenched in a salt bath at 325~C for 0 to 10 h. Samples were analyzed using optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Wear tests were carded out on a pin-on-disk-type machine. The efl＇ect of austenization temperature on the wear resistance, impact strength, and the mi- crostructure was evaluated. A stxucture-property correlation based on the observations is established.

Prediction of Austenitization and Homogenization of Q235 Plain Carbon Steel during Reheating Process

In this paper, the austenitization and homogenization process of Q235 plain carbon steel during reheating is predicted using a two-dimensional model which has been developed for the prediction of diffusive phase transformation (e.g. α to γ). The diffusion equations are solved within each phase (α and γ) and an explicit finite volume technique formulated for a regular hexagonal grid are used. The discrete interface is represented by special volume elements α/γ, an volume element a undergoes a transition to an interface state before it becomes γ. The procedure allows us to handle the displacement of the interface while respecting the flux condition at the interface. The simulated microstructure shows the dissolution of ferrite particles in the austenite matrix is presented at different stages of the phase transformation. Specifically, the influence of the microstructure scale and the heating rate on the phase transformation kinetics has been investigated. The experimental results agree well with the simulated ones.

Carbide Dissolution during Intercritical Austenitization in Bearing Steel

In order to investigate the carbide dissolution mechanism of high carbon-chromium bearing steel during the intercritical austenitization, the database of TCFE7 of Thermo-calc and MOBFE of DICTRA software were used to calculate the elements diffusion kinetic and the evolution law of volume fraction of carbide. DIL805 A dilatometer was used to simulate the intercritical heat treatment. The microstructure was observed by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, and the micro-hardness was tested. The experimental results indicate that the dissolution of carbide is composed of two stages： initial austenite growth governed by carbon diffusion which sharply moves up the micro-hardness of quenched martensite, and subsequent growth controlled by diffusion of Cr elements in M3 C. The volume fraction of M3 C decreases with the increasing holding time, and the metallographic analysis shows a great agreement with values calculated by software.

Effect of austenitization heat treatment on the magnetic properties of Fe-40wt%Ni-2wt%Mn alloy

The effect of austenitization heat treatment on magnetic properties was examined by means of M6ssbauer spectroscopy on an Fe-40wt%Ni-2wt%Mn alloy. The morphology of the alloy was obtained by using scanning electron microscopy （SEM） under different heat treatment conditions. The magnetic behavior of the non heat-treated alloy is ferromagnetic. A mixed magnetic structure including both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states was obtained at 800℃ after 6 and 12 h heat treatments. In addition, the magnetic structure of the heat-treated alloy at 1150~C for 12 h was ferromagnetic. With the volume fraction changing, the effective hyperfine field of the ferromagnetic austenite phase and isomery shift values were also determined by Mtssbauer spectroscopy.

Review on the plastic instability of medium -Mn steels for identifying the formation mechanisms of Lüders and Portevin -Le Chatelier bands

Plastic instability,including both the discontinuous yielding and stress serrations,has been frequently observed during the tensile deformation of medium-Mn steels(MMnS)and has been intensively studied in recent years.Unfortunately,research results are controversial,and no consensus has been achieved regarding the topic.Here,we first summarize all the possible factors that affect the yielding and flow stress serrations in MMnS,including the morphology and stability of austenite,the feature of the phase interface,and the deformation parameters.Then,we propose a universal mechanism to explain the conflicting experimental results.We conclude that the discontinuous yielding can be attributed to the lack of mobile dislocation before deformation and the rapid dislocation multiplication at the beginning of plastic deformation.Meanwhile,the results show that the stress serrations are formed due to the pinning and depinning between dislocations and interstitial atoms in austenite.Strain-induced martensitic transformation,influenced by the mechanical stability of austenite grain and deformation parameters,should not be the intrinsic cause of plastic instability.However,it can intensify or weaken the discontinuous yielding and the stress serrations by affecting the mobility and density of dislocations,as well as the interaction between the interstitial atoms and dislocations in austenite grains.

Review on synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion on reactor structural alloys

The synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion of reactor structural materials has been a prominent research focus.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the synergistic effects on the third-and fourth-generation fission nuclear energy structural materials used in pressurized water reactors and molten salt reactors.The competitive mechanisms of multiple influencing factors,such as the irradiation dose,corrosion type,and environmental temperature,are summarized in this paper.Conceptual approaches are proposed to alleviate the synergistic damage caused by irradiation and corrosion,thereby promoting in-depth research in the future and solving this key challenge for the structural materials used in reactors.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a cast TRIP-assisted multiphase stainless steel

Stainless steels are used in a wide range of complex environments due to their excellent corrosion resistance.Multiphase stainless steels can offer an excellent combination of strength,toughness and corrosion resistance due to the coexistence of different microstructures.The microstructure and mechanical properties of a novel cast multiphase stainless steel,composed of martensite,ferrite,and austenite,were investigated following appropriate heat treatment processes:solution treatment at 1,050℃ for 0.5 h followed by water quenching to room temperature,and aging treatment at 500℃ for 4 h followed by water quenching to room temperature.Results show reversed austenite is formed by diffusion of Ni element during aging process,and the enrichment of Ni atoms directly determines the mechanical stability of austenite.The austenite with a lower Ni content undergoes a martensitic transformation during plastic deformation.The tensile strength of the specimen exceeds 1,100 MPa and the elongation exceeds 24%after solid solution,and further increases to 1,247 MPa and 25%after aging treatment.This enhancement is due to the TRIP effect of austenite and the precipitation of the nanoscale G-phase pinning dislocations in ferrite and martensite.

Effect of Mn addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of GX40CrNiSi25-12 austenitic heat resistant steel

Three types of steels were designed on the basis of GX40CrNiSi25-12 austenitic heat resistant steel by adding different Mn contents(2wt.%,6wt.%,and 12wt.%).Thermodynamic calculation,microstructure characterization and mechanical property tests were conducted to investigate the effect of Mn addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the austenitic heat resistant steel.Results show that the matrix structure in all the three types of steels at room temperature is completely austenite.Carbides NbC and M_(23)C_(6)precipitate at grain boundaries of austenite matrix.With the increase of Mn content,the number of carbides increases and their distribution becomes more uniform.With the Mn content increases from 1.99%to 12.06%,the ultimate tensile strength,yield strength and elongation increase by 14.6%,8.0%and 46.3%,respectively.The improvement of the mechanical properties of austenitic steels can be explained by utilizing classic theories of alloy strengthening,including solid solution strengthening,precipitation strengthening,and grain refinement.The increase in alloy strength can be attributed to solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening caused by the addition of Mn.The improvement of the plasticity of austenitic steels can be explained from two aspects:grain refinement and homogenization of precipitated phases.

Effect of deformation parameters on the austenite dynamic recrystallization behavior of a eutectoid pearlite rail steel

Understandings of the effect of hot deformation parameters close to the practical production line on grain refinement are crucial for enhancing both the strength and toughness of future rail steels.In this work,the austenite dynamic recrystallization(DRX)behaviors of a eutectoid pearlite rail steel were studied using a thermo-mechanical simulator with hot deformation parameters frequently employed in rail production lines.The single-pass hot deformation results reveal that the prior austenite grain sizes(PAGSs)for samples with different deformation reductions decrease initially with an increase in deformation temperature.However,once the deformation temperature is beyond a certain threshold,the PAGSs start to increase.It can be attributed to the rise in DRX volume fraction and the increase of DRX grain with deformation temperature,respectively.Three-pass hot deformation results show that the accumulated strain generated in the first and second deformation passes can increase the extent of DRX.In the case of complete DRX,PAGS is predominantly determined by the deformation temperature of the final pass.It suggests a strategic approach during industrial production where part of the deformation reduction in low temperature range can be shifted to the medium temperature range to release rolling mill loads.

Development and microstructure characterization of BG110E high-strength expansion pipe

The BG110E high-strength expansion pipe was developed using medium manganese steel and subjected to a two-phase zone heat treatment process.Mechanical properties and microstructure analysis results have proven that the BG110E expansion pipe exhibits uniform elongation of more than 19%.Moreover,after undergoing expan-sion deformation,its strength,toughness,and plasticity are found to meet the stringent requirements of the P110 pipe.The microstructure of this high-strength expansion pipe,which has a strength of 110 ksi(1 ksi=6.895 MPa),consists of tempered martensite,ferrite,retained austenite,and granular bainite.The propotion of retained austenite reaches up to 12%,ensuring high plasticity and the occurrence of the transformation-induced plasticity effect during the deformation process.Consequently,it enhances the coordinated deformation ability between different phases,which significantly improves the internal yield pressure of the BG110E high-strength expansion pipe in turn.

Effects of Nitrogen Content and Austenitization Temperature on Precipitation in Niobium Micro-alloyed Steels

The influences of nitrogen content and austenitization temperature on Nb（C, N） precipitation in niobium micro-alloyed steels were studied by different methods： optical microscopy, tensile tests, scanning electron mi- croscopy, transmission electron microscopy, physicochemical phase analysis, and small-angle X-ray scattering. The results show that the strength of the steel with high nitrogen content is slightly higher than that of the steel with low nitrogen content. The increase in the nitrogen content does not result in the increase in the amount of Nb（C,N） precipitates, which mainly depends on the niobium content in the steel. The mass fraction of small-sized Nb（C, N） precipitates （1--10 nm） in the steel with high nitrogen content is less than that in the steel with low nitrogen con- tent. After austenitized at 1 150 ℃, a number of large cuboidal and needle-shaped particles are detected in the steel with high nitrogen content, whereas they dissolve after austenitized at 1 200 ℃ and the Nb（C,N） precipitates become finer in both steels. Furthermore, the results also show that part of the nitrogen in steel involves the formation of al- loyed cementite.

Research on Heredity of Coarse Ferrite Grains

The changes in austenite grain size of the specimens with coarse ferrite grains under different heat treatment process were investigated.The focus was on studying the effect of annealing on refining coarse ferrite grains,as well as the influence of the ferrite grain size on the main technical indicators of gas carburizing.The results show that coarse ferrite grains may not necessarily cause the coarse austenite grains,but may result in mixed austenite grains.After annealing treatment,the coarse ferrite grains can be significantly refined and homogenized.Moreover,the coarse ferrite grains have no significant effects on hardnessand intergranular oxidationof gas carburizing.

Austenitization Behaviors of X80 Pipeline Steel With High Nb and Trace Ti Treatment

The austenitization behaviors of two high niohium-containing X80 pipeline steels with different titanium contents, including the dissolution of microalloying precipitates and the austenite grain growth, were investigated by using physical-chemical phase analysis method and microstructural observation. The results illustrated that most niobium could be dissolved into austenite during soaking at 1 180 ℃, whereas little amount of titanium could be dissolved. It was found that during soaking, the austenite grain growth rate was initially high, and then decreased after soaking for 1 h; moreover, the austenite grains grew up more rapidly at temperatures above 1 180 ℃ than below 1 180 ℃. The results show that the steel with titanium content of 0. 016% has a larger austenite grain size than that with titanium content of 0. 012% under the same soaking conditions, which is explained by considering the particle size distribution.

Micro-scale Cellular Automaton Modeling of Interface Evolution During Reaustenitization from Pearlite Structure in Steels

A modified cellular automaton model is developed to depict the interface evolution inside the cementite plus ferrite lamellar microstructures during the reaustenitization of a pearlite steel. In this model, migrations of both the austenite- ferrite and austenite-cementite interfaces coupled with the carbon diffusion and redistribution are integrated. The capil- laxity effect derived from local interface curvatures is also carefully considered by involving the concentration given by the phase diagram modified by the Gibbs-Thomson effect. This allows the interface evolution from a transient state to a steady state under different annealing conditions and various interlamellar spacings to be simulated. The proposed cellular automaton approach could be readily used to describe the kinetics of austenite formation from the lamellar pearlites and virtually reveal the kinematics of the moving interfaces from the microstructural aspect.

Kinetics of austenite growth and bainite transformation during reheating and cooling treatments of high strength microalloyed steel produced by sub-rapid solidification

First,strip cast samples of high strength microalloyed steel with sub-rapid solidification characteristics were prepared by simulated strip casting technique.Next,the isothermal growth of austenite grain during the reheating treatment of strip casts was observed in situ through confocal laser scanning microscope(CLSM).The results indicated that the time exponent of grains growth suddenly rise when the isothermal temperature higher than 1000℃.And the activation energy for austenite grain growth were calculated to be 538.0 kJ/mol in the high temperature region(above 1000℃)and 693.2 kJ/mol in the low temperature region(below 1000℃),respectively.Then,the kinetics model of austenite isothermal growth was established,which can predict the austenite grain size during isothermal hold very well.Besides,high density of second phase particles with small size was found during the isothermal hold at the low temperature region,leading to the refinement of austenite grain.After isothermal hold at different temperature for 1800 s,the bainite transformation in microalloyed steel strip was also observed in situ during the continuous cooling process.And growth rates of bainite plates with different nucleation positions and different prior austenite grain size(PAGS)were calculated.It was indicated that the growth rate of the bainite plate is not only related to the nucleation position but also to the PAGS.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-containing low alloy martensitic wear-resistant steel

Effects of quenching temperature and cooling conditions(water cooling and 10%NaCl cooling)on microstructure and mechanical properties of a 0.2%Ti low alloy martensitic wear-resistant steel used for die casting ejector plate were investigated.The results show that lath martensite can be obtained after austenitizing in the range of 860-980℃and then water cooling.With an increase in austenitizing temperature,the precipitate content gradually decreases.The precipitates are mainly composed of TiC and Ti4C2S2,and their total content is between 1.15wt.%and 1.64wt.%.The precipitate phase concentration by water-cooling is higher than that by10%NaCl cooling due to the lower cooling rate of water cooling.As the austeniting temperature increases,the hardness and tensile strength of both water cooled and 10%NaCl cooled steels firstly increase and then decrease.The experimental steel exhibits the best comprehensive mechanical properties after being austenitized at 900℃,cooled by 10%NaCl,and then tempered at 200℃.Its hardness,ultimate tensile strength,and wear rate reach551.4 HBW,1,438.2 MPa,and 0.48×10^(-2)mg·m^(-1),respectively.

Effect of Chromium-enhanced Diffusivity on Reverted Transformation in Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steels:Theoretical Calculation and Experiment

Effects of nucleation sites and diffusivity enhancement of chromium on reverted transformation of AISI 304 stainless steel during annealing process were investigated.Dynamics calculation revealed that the reverted transformation of strain-inducedα’-martensite→γaustenite could were closely associated with active nucleation sites and diffusivity enhancement of chromium in nanocrystallineα’-martensite.The experimental data and the results were in accordance with 2-grain austenite/α’-martensite junctions calculated theoretically,which could result from high chromium diffusion rate in nanocrystallineα’-martensite.In addition,low temperature is not conducive to reversed transformation,while high temperature and long annealing time will lead to inhomogeneous grain size distribution.

Tailoring Carbon Distribution inα/γPhase of Ductile Iron and Its Effects on Thermal Conductivity

The effects of carbon distribution on the microstructure and thermal conductivity of ductile iron were investigated in the present study.The microstructure of as-cast and quenched ductile iron were characterized by OM and SEM.Results showed that the microstructure of as-cast ductile iron was composed of spheroidal graphite,ferrite with the volume of 80%,and a small amount of pearlite,and quenched ductile iron was composed of spheroidal graphite,coarse/fine acicular martensite(α_(M)phase)and high-carbon retained austenite(γphase).The volume fraction of retained austensite and its carbon content for direct quenched ductile iron and tepmered ductile iron were quantitatively analysed by XRD.Results revealed that carbon atoms diffused fromα_(M)phase toγphase during tempering at low temperatures,which resulted in carbon content in retainedγphase increasing from 1.2 wt%for the direct quenched sample to about 1.9 wt%for the tempered samples.Consequently,the lattice distortion was significantly reduced and gave rise to an increase of thermal conductivity for ductile iron.

Shielding and corrosion properties of the Alloy 709 as canister material for spent nuclear fuel dry casks

The shielding and corrosion properties of the Alloy 709 advanced austenitic stainless steel have been investigated as a candidate canister material in spent fuel dry casks.The results revealed that the experimental and computational data of the linear and mass attenuation coefficients of the alloy are in good agreement,in which the attenuation coefficient values decreased with increasing photon energy.Alloy 709 was shown to exhibit the highest linear attenuation coefficient against gamma rays when compared to 304 and 316 stainless steels.On the other hand,Alloy 709 exhibited no considerable weight change over a 69-day period in circulating salt brines corrosion testing,while it showed an exponential increase of corrosion current density with temperature in acidic and basic corrosive solutions during electrochemical polarization corrosion testing.Furthermore,Alloy 709 was the least corroded steel compared to other austenitic stainless steels in both acidic and basic solutions.The optimistic results of the shielding and corrosion properties of Alloy 709 due to its chemical composition,suggest utilizing it as a canister material in spent nuclear fuel dry casks.

Processing map and dynamic recrystallization behaviours of 316LN-Mn austenitic stainless steel

The hot deformation behaviours of 316LN-Mn austenitic stainless steel were investigated by uniaxial isothermal compression tests at different temperatures and strain rates.The microstructural evolutions were also studied using electron backscatter diffraction.The flow stress decreases with the increasing temperature and decreasing strain rate.A constitutive equation was established to characterize the relationship among the deformation parameters,and the deformation activation energy was calculated to be 497.92 k J/mol.Processing maps were constructed to describe the appropriate processing window,and the optimum processing parameters were determined at a temperature of 1107-1160℃ and a strain rate of 0.005-0.026 s^(-1).Experimental results showed that the main nucleation mechanism is discontinuous dynamic recrystallization(DDRX),followed by continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX).In addition,the formation of twin boundaries facilitated the nucleation of dynamic recrystallization.