Papers by Keyword: Strain-Induced Precipitation

Abstract: Twelve experimental steels with a base composition 1.5wt% Mn, 0.01 wt% V and 0.1 wt% Nb and varying C (0.05, 010 and 0.20 wt%), Ti (20 – 260 ppm) and B (0 – 100 ppm) contents have been systematically examined to quantify the effects of composition on precipitation behavio-ur and hot ductility during simulated continuous casting conditions. Nb-rich precipitates were present in the alloys with 0.10 wt-% C and 0.20 wt-% C. Alloys with 0.05, 010 and 0.20wt% C contained 50 – 100 nm size Ti-Nb carbonitrides. Boron was bound in 20 – 100 nm size boronitrides located in prior austenite grain boundaries. A Gleeble 3800 was used to study hot ductility and strain induced precipitation processes in the alloys. Alloys without B and Ti additions exhibited poor hot ductility at 850°C and 950°C, whereas the 0.05 wt-% C and 0.10 wt-% C alloys showed improved hot ductility (reduction in area 40-50%) by the addition of either >50 ppm B or 250 ppm Ti. The 0.2 wt-% C alloys showed no improvement from B or Ti additions. Examination of fracture surfaces of hot ductility specimens showed that boronitrides were located at prior austenite grain boundaries in alloys containing 80 – 100 ppm of B. Compression-relaxation tests showed that alloying with boron caused a noticeable decrease of the start temperature of strain-induced precipitation in the alloys.

Abstract: An aluminum matrix composite reinforced by TiC and Al₂O₃ particles was synthesized using TiO₂, C, and Al powder by the in-situ reaction. The effects of deformation parameters on the microstructure of the TiC-Al₂O₃/Al composite were investigated using XRD, SEM and TEM. The result shows that the strain rate and deformation temperature influence the size, styles, and distribution of the second phase. Reinforcements are dispersed in a distribution with increasing deformation temperature and strain rate. However, broken Al₃Ti exhibits redissolution phenomenon. The new precipitated Al₃Ti phase will precipitate from the strain-induced solid solution when the total strain increases to a certain degree at a high deformation temperature.

Abstract: The applicability of a physical model to describe the austenite microstructure evolution after hot deformation in High-Mn steels was investigated. Double-hit torsion tests were carried out to determine the softening behaviour of two High-Mn steels, one of them microalloyed with 0.11 wt% Nb. The values of the unknown parameters included in the model were determined by fitting experimental results. The model describes adequately the softening evolution of the steels. At high temperatures recovery and recrystallization contribute to mechanical softening, the latter having the main contribution. In contrast, when strain-induced precipitation occurs recovery has a larger effect.

Abstract: Under certain conditions of temperature, time and deformation, static recrystallization of austenite in microalloyed steels can be temporarily inhibited by means of the strain-induced precipitation of nanoparticles that cause a pinning effect on austenite grain boundaries in motion. This inhibition can be seen by the formation of a “plateau” in the curves of static recrystallization of austenite obtained from double-deformation tests carried out under isothermal conditions. In this work, several microalloyed steels with different compositions are studied by hot torsion tests in order to characterize the kinetics of recrystallization and its inhibition. The precipitation state in austenite is studied in several samples by means of transmission electron microscopy. The influence of the type of microalloying element (Al, Nb, V) and the mean size of the precipitates on the duration time of the plateau is studied and relationships between these variables can be obtained. Particularly, it is seen that Al-alloyed steels present a much coarser particle size and a considerably shorter plateau compared to Nb and V-microalloyed steels.

Abstract: The Dutta-Sellars equations for predicting recrystallisation and precipitation in microalloyed steels have been assessed for accuracy over a range of strain levels (0.15 to 0.45) during hot deformation (975-1075 °C) of a homogenised 0.045 wt % Nb steel. It has been found that the model predicts the deformation state well at a strain of 0.3 whereas at both lower and higher strains i.e. 0.15 and 0.45, the agreement is less good. The differences between prediction and experimental measurement have been related to solute drag and precipitate potential of Nb.

Abstract: Recent observations show that the strain reversal affects significantly and in a complex way both the static recrystallisation (SRX) and strain-induced precipitation (PPT) kinetics in Nb-microalloyed steel. It is already known that the recrystallisation stagnation is a consequence of the competition between the driving pressure for recrystallisation and the pinning pressure caused by the strain-induced precipitation of Nb (C,N) precipitates. Both of these parameters depend in turn on the local dislocation density. Thus, it is expected that a variation of the local dislocation density due to reversal of the strain will affect at the same time the local driving and the pinning pressures, which will cause the difference in the hardening levels. In the present paper, the influence of strain path change on microstructure evolution and mechanical behaviour in Nb-microalloyed steel (API X-70 grade) was studied. The deformation schedules were designed in order to investigate an effect of strain reversal on both static recrystallisation and strain-induced precipitation process kinetics. Flow curves recorded during deformation of X-70 steel showed clear influence of applied strain path on both static recrystallisation kinetics and strain-induced precipitation process.

Abstract: Thermal simulation test, TEM(Transmission Electron Microscope) and nanobeam EDS techniques were used to investigate the dissolving and precipitation behavior in Nb-bearing mciroalloyed steel. The experimental results indicate that: there are two families of precipitates in the as forged samples. The larger precipitates of Nb(C,N) disappear after being held for 2h at 1300°C,while the inclusions of MnS formed from the solidification even remain for 48h held at that temperature. After 30% of predeformtion at 850°C and 900°C, the strain-induced precipitation occurs, that is, the other tiny precipitates. Compared with the samples relaxed at 850°C, the ones that are held at 900°C show larger particles by same holding time but demonstrate the same size when the relaxation time reaches 1000s.

Abstract: Strain-induced precipitation of complex carbonitrides and recrystallization for three high-Nb pipeline steels with different Nb and C content have been studied by using a stress relaxation technique and two-passes interrupted compression test. Sequentially, the PTT diagrams were obtained, and static recrystallization activation energy was calculated. Furthermore, the effects of Nb and C content on strain-induced NbC precipitation and static recrystallization were discussed. The results confirm the faster kinetics of precipitation and its retarded recrystallization in the case of higher Nb pipeline steel, and that the recrystallization is easier in low Nb pipeline steel in comparison to the case of high Nb steel. However, the effects of Nb on strain-induced precipitation and static recrystallization were associated with the Nb/C ratio. The precipitation start time (Ps) of strain-induced NbC is delayed in lower Nb/C ratio pipeline steel. It is suggested that the reduced supersaturation of Nb can result in the delay of precipitation of strain-induced NbC carbides forming in the low Nb/C ratio steel.

Abstract: Thermo-simulation test, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and nanobeam EDS technique were used to investigate the strain induced precipitation behavior during relaxation process after deformed austenite in Mn-Mo-Nb-B low carbon multi-microalloyed Steel. The experiment results indicate that during isothermal held at 850 °Cand 900 °C after predeformation, the size of precipitates occurred in the Mn-Mo-Nb-B steel at different stage is smaller than that happened in the only Nb and Ti-bearing microalloyed steel. The ratio of Nb/Ti to precipitates increased with the relaxing time. After being held longer, Mo atoms would enter the lattice of (Nb,Ti)(C,N) precipitates and the amount in the precipitates increased with the relaxation as time prolonged.

Abstract: A good combination of strength and toughness in HSLA steels can be achieved by the addition of microalloying elements such as Nb. Nb can retard the static recrystallization of austenite at low temperatures by either a solute drag or by a precipitation pinning (when bonded to C or N) effect. Both mechanisms result in improved mechanical properties due to grain size refinement of the transformed ferrite. In this study, 3 Nb-microalloyed model alloys were designed to investigate the solute drag and the precipitation effect separately. The first alloy, containing a stoechiometric ratio of Nb and C, was designed to study the retarding effect of NbC on the recrystallization behavior. A second alloy, containing Nb and only few ppm C, was casted in order to study the effect of Nb in solid solution. The two alloys were compared with a C-Mn reference alloy. The recrystallization behavior of the three alloys were compared by multi-hit torsion tests and double hit compression tests. The Nb-C and the Nb-very low C showed small differences in recrystallization behavior. These results show that Nb delays the recrystallization by a solute drag effect or by the formation of a very small amount of precipitates.