Papers by Keyword: Austempering

Abstract: A novel two step austenitization heat treatment process was conceived to develop ADI with optimum combination of strength, ductility and fracture toughness. This novel heat treatment process involved austenitizing the ductile iron in the lower intercritical temperature range and then raising the temperature to the fully austenitic temperature range followed by austempering in the bainitic temperature range. The resulting microstructure consisted of very fine scale bainitic ferrite, high-carbon austenite and pro-eutectoid ferrite. The proeutectoid ferrite is nucleated because of prior austenitization in the intercritical range which resulted in ADI with high fracture toughness without significantly compromising the strength and ductility. An analytical theory has been developed based upon the nucleation of proeutectoid ferrite and graphite nodules during intercritical austenitization, to explain this physical outcome.

Abstract: The compact tension (CT) and tensile specimens of the AISI 4140 steel in cold rolling condition (untreated steel) were austempered by immersing it into the salt bath at 362°C for 60 minutes. The tensile strength properties and the fatigue crack growth (FCG) resistance were performed to investigate the effect of the austempering process in AISI 4140 steel. A significant increase in the yield strength for austempered steel is about 8.7 % and the elastic strain energy increases by 55.7 %. Austempered steel's fatigue crack cycle is longer than that of untreated steel. Data of stress intensity factor range (ΔK, MPa.m^1/2) and FCG rate (da/dN, m/cycle) was constructed in double log plot x-y axes for determining the materials constants m and C according to Paris’s law equation using a linear regression method. From the curve of ΔK versus da/dN, the constant m value for austempered steel (m = 3.45) shows better resistance than untreated steel (m = 3.77). On the other hand, the constant C value of 1.409×10^-12 for austempered steel is one order magnitude higher than that of untreated steel (C = 4.151×10^-13). The resistance of austempered steel against fatigue crack growth can be attributed to the formation of a bainite structure.

Abstract: The features of microstructure and mechanical properties of the aerospace high strength steel were studied after the implementation of various heat treatment modes: conventional oil quenching and tempering, quenching-partitioning, austempering. The dependence of the mechanical properties on the tempering temperature was determined. The basic patterns of the formation of mechanical properties during the implementation of isothermal heat treatment were considered. The optimal heat treatment conditions for the studied steel were established.

Abstract: The authors have developed the in situ neutron diffraction technique focusing on bainite transformation during austempering. Thanks to the features of time-of-flight type neutron diffraction, textures, phase fractions and lattice parameters can be simultaneously measured at high temperature. In this paper, the design of experimental equipment and analytical approach are mainly described.

Abstract: Various high strength steel sheets for weight reduction and safety improvement of vehicles have been developed. TRIP-aided steel with transformation induced plasticity of the retained austenite has high strength and ductility. Conventional TRIP-aided steels are subjected to austempering process after austenitizing. Generally, elongation and formability of TRIP-aided steel are improved by finely dispersed retained austenite in BCC phase matrix. The finely dispersed retained austenite and grain refinement of TRIP-aided steel can be achieved by hot rolling with heat treatment. Therefore, the improvement of mechanical properties of TRIP-aided steel is expected from the manufacturing process with hot rolling and then isothermal transformation process. In this study, thermomechanical heat treatment is performed by combining hot rolling and isothermal holding as the manufacturing process of TRIP-aided steel sheets. The complex phase matrix is obtained by hot rolling and then isothermal holding. Although the hardness of the hot rolled and isothermal held TRIP-aided steel is decreased, the volume fraction of retained austenite is increased.

Abstract: Stainless steel 316L (SS 316L) is a low carbon-chromium-nickel-molybdenum austenitic stainless steel. Its application in automotive industry include as exhaust housings for catalytic converters and turbocharger. In this research, the tempering heat treatment was conducted by using SS 316L samples. These steels were austenitized at 860°C for 1 hours before doing two tempering process. Austempering was conducted at 360°C for 15 min in the muffle furnace then air cooled while martempering was conducted at 160°C for 15 min in a muffle furnace then quench in water. The corrosion test was carried out using 1.0 M oxalic acid solution for 30 days in room temperature. Hardness test and microstructural observation were carried out for SS 316L before and after corrosion test. Experimental result showed that untreated sample have highest hardness value before and after corrosion test which were 232 HV and 225 HV respectively. The hardness value before corrosion test is 199.7 HV for austempered sample, and 201.3 HV for martempered sample. Untreated sample shows the lowest corrosion rate (0.94×10^-3 mpy), followed by austempered sample (1.89x10^-3 mpy) and the highest corrosion rate is for martempered sample (2.36×10^-3 mpy). After corrosion, under optical microscope observation, martempered steel has more pits than austempered steel. In summary, austempering is the best heat treatment for SS 316L in automotive applications that give high ductility and toughness after heat treatment with high corrosion resistance.

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to inspect microstructure, mechanical properties and impact toughness of ductile cast iron grade FCD450 produced by austempering process. The study focused on austempering parameter, which effected impact toughness of material at low temperature. The FCD450 was initially temperature austenized at 885°C (1625˚F) for 2 hours. Austempering was carried out at three different temperatures of 271°C (520˚F), 313°C (560˚F) and 357°C (675˚F). The austempering temperature were varied at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 hours. X-ray diffraction was showed that the austempered ductile cast iron (ADI) microstructure consists of austenite and ferrite. The results showed that when austempered at 357°C (675˚F) for 2.5 hours has highest hardness and impact energy at low temperature. The dimple ductile fracture of ADI fracture surfaces was revealed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Abstract: A study of the high-strength HY-TUF steel applied for the manufacturing of heavy loaded parts was carried out. The mechanical properties of the austempered HY-TUF steel were compared to the characteristics obtained after the conventional oil quenching and tempering. The upper bainite with low impact strength was formed during the austempering at 400 °C and higher. Conventional oil quenching and tempering at temperature 400...500 °С also led to the embrittlement of the steel under consideration. The best combination of toughness and strength of the HY-TUF steel was achieved after the austempering at the temperature of lower bainite formation.

Abstract: Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) developments have largely focused on automotive applications using metallurgical approaches to develop retained austenite-containing microstructures in a variety of new steels, using the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect to achieve better combinations of strength and ductility. These efforts have been extended in recent studies to explore the potential to improve wear resistance, using metastable retained austenite to enhance wear resistance for earth-moving and other applications. This paper provides selected highlights of the authors’ efforts to develop wear resistant steels using AHSS processing approaches. Some attractive product/process development opportunities are identified, and it appears that martensite-austenite microstructures produced using “quenching and partitioning” exhibit increased wear resistance.

Abstract: In the present study, the effects of ausforming on the bainitic transformation, microstructure and mechanical properties of a low-carbon rich-silicon carbide-free bainitic steel have been investigated. Results show that prior ausforming shortens both the incubation period and finishing time of bainitic transformation during isothermal treatment at a temperature slightly above the M_s point. The thicknesses of bainitic ferrite laths are reduced appreciably by ausforming; however, ausforming increases the amount of large blocks of retained austenite/martenisite and decreases the volume fraction of retained austenite. And accordingly, ausforming gives rise to significant increases in both yield and tensile strengths, but causes noticeable decreases in ductility and impact toughness.