Papers by Keyword: Martensite

Abstract: In this work, the insulating properties of nitride coatings against the hydrogen penetration into semi-finished or finished products made of VT6 titanium alloy during hydrogenation annealing have been studied. It has been established that an increase of the duration of titanium nitride deposition for more than 30 minutes leads to the formation of pores and cracks in the coating and, as a consequence, to a decrease in the «protective» properties of such coating. It is shown that during linear gradient structure creation, the nitride coating effectively “protects” alloy from penetration of up to 0.5 wt%. of hydrogen.

Abstract: The continuous cooling transformation behavior of high-carbon pearlitic steel was studied by employing optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and the Vickers hardness test. The results show that the microstructure of the test steel is composed of proeutectoid cementite and lamellar pearlite in the cooling rate range of 0.05–2 °C/s and lamellar pearlite in the range of 2–5 °C/s. Further, martensite appears at 10 °C/s. With the increase in the cooling rate, the Vickers hardness of the test steel first decreases and then increases. In the industrial production of high-carbon pearlite steel, the formation of proeutectoid cementite at a low cooling rate needs to be avoided, and at the same time, the formation of martensite and other brittle-phase at a high cooling rate needs to be avoided.

Abstract: We conducted comparative tests of the wear resistance of metals operating under abrasive conditions. Samples were cut from the working parts of mixer-pneumosuperchargers. The chemical composition and mechanical properties were determined. To compare samples under abrasive wear conditions, we designed and assembled a carousel installation. The principle of its operation is based on mixing the abrasive medium by the samples being studied with a given speed. Wear resistance was evaluated by weight loss by samples after several test cycles. To determine changes in the structure of the metal during abrasive wear, metallographic studies of the samples were carried out before and after the tests. It is shown that the best complex of service and mechanical properties is possessed by 110G13L steel.

Abstract: The microstructure of the advanced low carbon steel with a superior hardenability was studied. The steel contained the following main alloying elements, wt. %: C – 0.20; Cr – 2.0; Mn – 2.0; Si – 1.04 Ni – 1.0; Mo – 0.3. The dilatometer investigation of the steel under consideration revealed the only phase transformation occurring during continuous cooling (0.1...30 °C/s), which started at the martensite start temperature M_s. It was shown that the isothermal treatment of the studied steel led to the bainite formation above and below M_s. The temperature of the bainite morphology shift was determined.

Abstract: A study of the low-carbon steel with high hardenability was carried out. The steel contained the following alloying elements, wt. %: C – 0.20; Cr – 2.0; Mn – 2.0; Si – 1.04 Ni – 1.0; Mo – 0.3. The quenching – partitioning treatment of the studied steel was implemented. The microstructure of the steel consisted of the tempered martensite laths, bainite and martensite-austenite regions. The amount of the residual austenite and the carbon concentration in the residual austenite were estimated. The possibility of the quenching – partitioning treatment of the carburized steel was shown.

Abstract: In order to investigate the relation between prior austenite grains (PAG) and the carbide particles, we observed etched microstructure in JIS-SUJ2 steel. We traced and drew the outlines of carbide particles and analyzed some of their shape values. We confirmed that the repeated quenching can refine PAG size while keeping the optimal distribution of the carbide particles.

Abstract: Low alloy TRIP steel is expected to be applied to automobile bodies because of its high strength, high ductility, and excellent impact properties and press formability. It has been reported that the low alloy TRIP steel of hydrogen embrittlement resistance is improved by utilizing the hydrogen storage characteristics of highly stable retained austenite. Therefore, for the purpose of increasing the volume fraction of retained austenite, it was produced at various cooling rates below the martensite transformation start temperature. As a result, the volume fraction of retained austenite increased, and then the effect of hydrogen embrittlement decreased. The matrix phase and retained austenite is refined with decrees of the cooling rate. It is considered that the size and surface area of the retained austenite also affected the improvement of hydrogen embrittlement resistance.

Abstract: We have determined different phase fractions from microscopy images using semi-automated image analysis fitting technique, and in addition we have classified each phase according to its hardness. The distribution of grayscale pixels of different phases is first characterised separately for each phase, which are sampled from the microscope image. After this the distributions of the separate phases are fitted to give the corresponding distribution of the whole image. The microhardness measurement provides reliability on the classification of the different phases to ferrite, bainite or martensite. In addition to describing the applied techniques in detail, we present the results obtained from the analysis for one steel subjected to isothermal holding experiments at different temperatures.

Abstract: Microstructural characterization of ledeburitic tool steel Vanadis 6 after sub-zero treatment and tempering has been examined. The samples were heat treated using following schedules: heating to the austenitizing temperature (T_A = 1050 °C) in a vacuum furnace, hold at the final temperature for 30 min. and nitrogen gas quenching (5 bar). The sub-zero treatments consisted of immediate (after quenching) immersion of the material into the liquid helium (-269 °C), hold at the soaking temperature and removal the samples to be heated to a room temperature. Double tempering has been performed at the temperatures from the range 170 – 530 °C, whereas each tempering cycle was realized with a hold of 2 h. Typical heat treated microstructure of ledeburitic steels consists, besides of the martensitic matrix with certain amount of retained austenite, of several types of carbides – eutectic, secondary and small globular carbides. In sub-zero treated steel the amount of retained austenite is significantly reduced. The population density of small globular carbides increase as a result of sub-zero treating. Tempering of the material resulted in decrease in population density of small globular carbides with increasing the tempering temperature. The hardness of sub-zero treated material is higher than that of conventionally quenched one. Also, this tendency is preserved when the steel is low-temperature tempered. On the other hand, the hardness of conventionally quenched steel becomes higher than that of SZT one when tempered at the temperature of secondary hardening.

Abstract: Despite the fact that the sub-zero treatment has widely been employed in various industrial branches more than 100 years, metallurgical principles of microstructural alterations was discovered only over past several years. Many experimental works have been done in order to describe what happens in the microstructures of various steels when they are subjected to the treatment within a temperature range 4 - 273 K and for different durations of this treatment. The obtained results infer that the changes in microstructure and thus in mechanical properties depend not only on the treatment regime used, but they are closely related to the steel chemistry. The current paper summarizes the findings obtained by sub-zero treatments of two different ledeburitic tool steels (AISI D2 and Vanadis 6). The changes in retained austenite characteristics, alterations in martensitic structures, variations in carbide characteristics and modifications in precipitation behaviour are demonstrated and discussed.