Papers by Author: Chi Zhang

Abstract: A mixed control mode is developed to model the ledge growth of pro-eutectoid ferrite, considering coupled effects of migration of austenite/ferrite interface and carbon diffusion in austenite. Carbon concentration of austenite at the austenite/ferrite interface increases from the bulk carbon concentration to a steady level, which is lower than that in local equilibrium, during the ferrite growth process. Correspondingly, ferrite grows rapidly at the beginning since all the driving force of ferrite transformation is dissipated on the interface migration. In the later stage of isothermal transformation, the growth rate of ferrite decreases towards a steady level since a part of driving force is dissipated on carbon diffusion in austenite. The effect of interface migration on ferrite growth rate by changing the interface mobility is emphatically discussed. In the case of the low interface mobility, the growth rate of ferrite is very small while the growth is dominated by the carbon diffusion ability in the case of large interface mobility. When a medium interface mobility is obtained, the growth rate of ferrite may reach a maximum value, which exceed the limitation of diffusion control and interface control modes. After comparing the modeled growth rate of ferrite with the experimental data of 0.11-0.49 wt% C alloy at 973-1113 K, the pre-expontential factor (M₀) of interface mobility is estimated within the range of 0.1-1 mol m J^-1 s^-1, around the value 0.5 mol m J^-1 s^-1 theoretically estimated.

Abstract: Based on an analytical one-dimensional model, austenite growth into pearlite lamella and the corresponding phase evolution during isothermal reverse transformation to austenite at 1000-1183 K in Fe-C fully pearlitic steels containing 0.6-1.0 mass% C (in the austenite single phase field of Fe-C phase diagram) were simulated. It was found that the rate of austenite growth into ferrite increases faster with increasing reversion temperature than into cementite. Three types of phase evolution dependent on reversion temperature and carbon content were classified: 1) cementite rather than ferrite disappears first; 2) ferrite and cementite simultaneously disappear; 3) ferrite rather than cementite disappears first. The type of phase evolution in a hypoeutectoid steel heated above its Ae₃ temperature possibly changes in the order of 1), 2) and 3) as the reversion temperature increases. For eutectoid and hypereutectoid steels, the phase evolution during isothermal reversion always obeys the type 3).

Abstract: The intragranular ferrite, which renders fabrication of fine-microstructure and improves toughness of welds in ultra-fine grain steels, is often observed to nucleation on non-metallic inclusion. The mechanism of this nucleation is related to the interfacial energy between austenite, ferrite with inclusions, the solute depletion zone around the inclusions and the strain energy due to different thermal coefficients between matrix and inclusions, et al. The interfacial energy of iron with nitrides and carbides is crucial to promote the ferrite nucleation on such as VN. On the other hand, the composition change in local austenite is probably the control reason for ferrite on MnS and Ti2O3. The thermal strain energy is calculated to be far less than the driving force for phase transformation and not effective to promote ferrite nucleation unless at very small undercoolings.