Papers by Keyword: Carburizing

Abstract: ST 41 steel is a low carbon steel which can be used for propeller shafts because it is categorized as a carbon steel permitted by BKI with a tensile strength requirement of 400 to 800 N/mm². The propeller shaft deteriorates due to its surface frequently rubbing against the bearings. Carburizing is a technique used to increase the surface hardness by heating the specimen in a closed container containing mixture of carbon and a catalyst. The main objective of the subsequent quenching and tempering processes is to increase toughness and ductility while eliminating residual stresses. The achieved results are based on tests conducted on ST 41 steel with a measured carbon layer thickness of 229.12 μm, namely coal carbon media. Based on the results of wear tests, coal carbon media possesses a minimum value of 6.38287E-05 mm²/kg. In torsional testing, the maximum shear stress value for carbon media made from coconut shell charcoal is 429.79 MPa. When measuring hardness, coal carbon media has the highest value, which is 340.918 VHN. And metallographic testing shows that pearlite is the main phase in coal carbon media. The media with the most carbon is coal carbon, which 0.729% on the surface of the steel. Keywords: St 41 Steel, Carburizing, Wear, Hardness, Torsion, Chemical Composition, Micrograph.

Abstract: Carburized-quenched steel has a hard layer on the surface and a soft layer in the core. Internal fatigue cracks are observed around the boundary between these two layers under cyclic stress. In this research, we investigated the microstructures (carbon content, prior austenite grains and retained austenite) in the carburized-quenched chromium molybdenum steel bar (JIS-SCM415, diameter = 10 mm) failed by rotating bending test (RBT) at nominal stress amplitude of 716 MPa. After the investigations, we obtained three conclusions: the carbon content in the area from the surface to 0.1 mm depth was higher than other area; the prior austenite grain (PAG) sizes at 0.1 mm depth from the surface was almost the same as that of 0.6 mm depth; and the retained austenite which was indicated from the ratio of γ to α in the cross section ranging from the surface to 0.1 mm depth was decreased by rotating bending fatigue.

Abstract: Under high cycle and very high cycle fatigue, high strength steels break as a result of internal fracture from inclusions. In order to understand this fracture, “Fisheye” crack has been investigated. In our previous work we found that cracks grew from the boundary between the hard surface and soft core of case-hardened S45C, SUJ2 and SCM415 steel bars under rotating bending fatigue. These cracks were called “Transition area origin (TRO)” cracks. In this study, we closely observed the fracture surface of TRO crack areas in carburized JIS SCM415 specimens (under 734, 776 and 865 MPa). We found three features of the TRO cracks: outside of the TRO cracks had asperities; the shapes of TRO cracks were almost circular, and were different from those in S45C and SUJ2 steels; and the HAZ-TRO area which was located at hardened layer had some ridges, and the Core-TRO area at unheat-treated layer was smooth and flat.

Abstract: The primary coolant of High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) is expected to contain impurities that can make corrosion to structural metallic materials at elevated temperatures. According to the chemical thermodynamics and kinetics, the carbon activity of helium can be calculated, and it is indicated that a high “CH₄/H₂O” ratio may lead to severe carburizing of the alloys. On this basis, corrosion tests were conducted on the three heat-resistance alloys Inconel 617, Hastelloy X, and Incoloy 800H at 950°C using helium environment with impurities, and mainly the effect of carburization was investigated. The corrosion samples were observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Disperse Spectroscopy (EDS), Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA), and Carbon-sulfur Analyzer. These all alloys showed the oxidation and carburizing behavior, in which the carburized depth of Hastelloy X was shallow due to the dense oxide scale.

Abstract: Carburizing is a method for obtaining a sturdy material surface. This hard surface is used for machine elements that intersect with other materials, so failure due to wear can be avoided. However, this increase in hardness has always been followed by decreased ductility. This condition certainly lowers the fatigue life of the material. For that, it is necessary to compromise between surface hardness and ductility. This study used AISI 1045 steel, which has a surface roughness of 0.4 and 4.7 μm with carburation media used, is a mixture of 80% coconut shell charcoal and 20% Barium carbonate. The sample was given the pack carburization treatment at 850°C and holding time for 3 hours, and then cooled in the open air. The samples were reheated at 850°C, holding time for 17 minutes, and then cooled with airflow at speeds of 10.34, 15.51, and 20.06 m/s for 30 minutes. This research shows that the surface of steel with a roughness of 0.4 μm has excellent performance with the hardness and corrosion level respectively 228.6 HV and 2.3586 mpy at cooling airflow rate of 20.06 m/s while the fatigue life of material occurs at the speed of airflow cooling 10.43 m/s.

Abstract: The surface of Ti6Al4V alloy was rapidly carburized by high-frequency electromagnetic induction heating under vacuum. The microstructure and hardness of the carburized layer were studied. The wear properties of the carburized layer were tested at 50, 100 and 200 rpm using the end face friction and wear device, and the wear mechanism was analyzed. The results show that the TiC strengthening phase was formed on the surface of Ti6Al4V alloy after high-frequency induction carburization, and the surface grains were refined. The surface hardness reaches 1116 HV_0.25, but the brittleness of the carburized layer increases with increasing temperature. The amount of wear was reduced by 54% at 100 rpm. The roughness of the wear scar was reduced from 3.26 μm to 2.28 μm of Ti6A14V alloy matrix. The coefficient of friction and wear rate increases with increasing speed. The wear mechanism was transformed from adhesive wear and oxidative wear of the substrate to abrasive wear after carburizing.

Abstract: Carburizing is a heat treatment process, which used widely for surface hardening. In this process, the parts are placed in a concentrated atmosphere of Carbon atoms. The carbon atoms diffuse in the samples from the surface. In the present article, the effects of carburizing temperature on fatigue life will be studied. The St37 steel material is selected for study due to its wide range of usage in industry and little attention on the carburizing of this material. The samples are prepared by implementing the carburizing process at different temperatures (300, 400, 500, and 600 °C). The holding time is 1 hour for all samples. The two-point bending fatigue tests had been carried out on constant loading stresses. The results of the fatigue life test show that the fatigue life enhances the carburizing process. The fatigue life improved from about 45000 cycles to about 65000 cycles (about 44% increase) by increasing the temperature from 300°C to 600°C. Holding at higher temperatures leads to an increase in fatigue life smoothly due to the increase in the diffusivity coefficient. Also, the fracture surface demonstrates that the crack initiation starts from outer surfaces very slowly and failure happens as a brittle fracture in the samples.

Abstract: Carburized steel was used in severe and cyclic loading conditions such as bearing and structural components. In this study rotating bending fatigue tests were carried out to observe the crack initiation and propagation behavior of carburized JIS SCM415 steel bar whose diameter was 10.0 mm. Transition area origin (TRO) crack on fracture surfaces were observed with scanning electron microscope. The depth of fracture origins was about 0.9 mm. TRO crack was observed around the fracture origin which was nucleated at the edge of carburized layer, and the crack propagated toward the surface and the inside core. Stress amplitude was modified with depth of crack origin, and S-N curve was corrected with modified applied stress amplitude σ_M. In order to reveal the crack propagation behavior around the boundary between the hardened and the soft core area, stress intensity factor (SIF) on crack front was also computed.

Abstract: The simplified algorithm of the numerical solution of the differential diffusion equation is presented. The solution is based on the one-dimensional diffusion model with the third kind boundary conditions and the finite difference method. The proposed approach allows for the quick and precise assessment of the carburizing process parameters – temperature and time.

Abstract: For better mechanical properties and lifetime of sintered products, it is suggested that an improvement can be made by a combination of mechanical-and chemical-surface treatments. In this study, the effect of deep-rolling on surface properties and microstructure is investigated. It is found that both compactness and hardness is improved by deep-rolling process where high force is applied. The outer surface hardness can be doubled when the deep-rolling is applied prior to carburizing. Nonetheless, a reduction in the thickness of the martensite-transformed layer due to an increment of applied force is observed.