Papers by Keyword: TRIP Steel

Abstract: Formation of microstructure defects at the phase boundaries in TRIP steels was investigated with the aid of microstructure analysis on a TRIP steel crystal, which was grown by the Bridgman technique. The microstructure studies comprised scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and transmission electron microscopy with high resolution (HRTEM). Initial XRD measurements revealed that the crystals under study consist of austenite and ferrite with extremely strong preferred orientations. Subsequent XRD pole figure measurements and EBSD scans have shown that the orientation relationship between austenite and ferrite can be described by the Nishiyama-Wassermann model. For a detailed description of the microstructure of the Bridgman crystal, the orientation distribution of crystallites within the individual phases was investigated using the XRD reciprocal space mapping and the rocking curve measurements. These experiments have shown that the density of microstructure defects is much lower in ferrite than in austenite. The direct information about the defect structures at the phase boundaries between austenite and ferrite was obtained from the TEM micrographs, which revealed complicated micro-twin structures at the boundaries between the neighbouring phases. HRTEM discovered very narrow stripes of ferrite embedded in austenite that were regarded as a source of the microstructure defects in austenite.

Abstract: Temperature development during plastic deformation affects the stability of retained austenite and thus the mechanical properties in transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels. In this work, we used a thermo-camera to monitor the temperature development during a step-wise tensile test of an Al-containing multiphase TRIP steel. The tensile tests were performed by loading the specimen at six straining rates ranging from 5 to 30 s-1 to a stress of 700 MPa and then holding for 15 min, followed by further loading at 50 s-1 until fracture. It is found that temperature increases about 13 – 18 °C during the first loading process and drops back to room temperature with a time-constant of around 2 min. The increment of temperature increases with increasing straining rate. The temperature increases around 30 °C during the second loading process. The distribution of temperature over the specimen surface is found to be rather homogeneous along the longitudinal direction in most cases, except for the ending points of two loading processes. The measurement of temperature development is found to be consistent with previous numerical simulation on the temperature development under constant stress in TRIP steels.

Abstract: Low alloy transformation-induced plasticity aided (TRIP) steels have attracted much interest over the last years. TRIP steels were initially developed for automotive applications as they offer an excellent combination of strength and ductility at reasonable costs. These excellent mechanical properties mainly arise from a complex multiphase microstructure of a ferrite matrix and a dispersion of multiphase grains of bainite, martensite and metastable retained austenite. The relevant influence of microstructure on physical and mechanical properties makes metallographic study essential for an appropriate understanding and improvement of the mechanical behavior. An accurate microstructural characterization and quantification of the amount of the different constituents is indispensable to know how the stresses and strains are distributed within the different microstructural constituents. Among the different characterization methods commonly used electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) appears to be the unique technique able to observe retained austenite grains often no larger than 1 μm. The present work shows the evolution of retained austenite while straining. Microstructural and textural evolution after different strains was examined by optical microscopy OM, EBSD and XRD techniques on TRIP800 steel. EBSD technique appears as a powerful tool for characterizing the complex multiphase steel microstructure and provides an accurate evaluation of the local crystallographic texture. It allows to measure orientation gradients within individual grains of each different phase. The distinction between some phases is observed.

Abstract: The design of new steel grades and microstructures is mostly motivated by the necessity of steel industry to process always better suited high strength steel with low production costs. Automotive customers are asking for more steel options to meet increased specifications for strength, crash worthiness, energy absorption, part complexity, and dent resistance. To meet these requirements, new developed types of steel known as Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) were introduced (e.g.: DP steel "Dual Phase", TRIP steel "Transformation Induced Plasticity",…etc). This paper presents a case study for producing DP600 dual phase steel in EZDK company through building up an integrated model to predicting both final austenite grain size after finishing rolling and the final ferrite grain size after cooling.

Abstract: A transformation-induced plasticity steel was welded by gas tungsten arc welding. The microstructure of fusion zone was analyzed by means of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with EDS. It is found that fusion zone may be classified into two zones, the completely melted zone and the partially melted zone. The microstructure of completely melted zone consists predominantly of martensite and bainite, and that of partially melted zone consists mainly of martensite, bainite and ferrite. The formation mechanism of fusion zone microstructure is analyzed. The micro-hardness distribution of the joint was measured by microhardness tester. Test results show that the partially melted zone is softened, which is resulted from the formation of 20.6% ferrite. During the bending test, crack occurred at 125 degree bending angle. It is found that the crack originates from the partially melted zone because of deformation concentration.

Abstract: In this study, results are presented of an extensive experimental program to investigate the strain rate dependent mechanical properties of various Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel grades. A split Hopkinson tensile bar setup was used for the high strain rate experiments and microstructural observation techniques such as LOM, SEM and EBSD revealed the mechanisms governing the observed behavior. With elevated testing temperatures and interrupted tensile experiments the material behavior and the austenite to martensite transformation is investigated. In dynamic conditions, the strain rate has limited influence on the material properties. Yet an important increase is noticed when comparing static to dynamic conditions. The differences in strength, elongation and energy absorption levels observed between the investigated materials can be attributed to their chemical composition. Adiabatic heating during high strain rate deformation tends to slow down the strain induced martensitic deformation. The elongation of the ferritic and austenite constituents is found to be strain rate dependent and the strain induced martensitic transformation occurs gradually in the material.

Abstract: TRIP-assisted steel with a composition of 0.2%C, 1.6%Mn, 1.5%Al was studied in the undeformed state, after the application of 10 and 30 % static tensile strain parallel to rolling the direction of the sheet and after dynamic (Hopkinson) fracture test. Detailed examination of the microstructure and microtexture by means of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) was carried out in order to quantify the microstructural constituents and to study the strain distribution. The microtexture evolution and the distribution of the specific texture components between the BCC and FCC phases were studied as a function of the external strain and the strain mode-static or dynamic. The strain localization and strain distribution between the structural constituents were quantified based on local misorientation maps. The full constraint Taylor model was used to predict the texture changes in the material and the results were compared to the experimental findings. Comparing the local misorientation data it was found that at low strains the ferrite accommodates approximately 10 times more deformation than the retained austenite. The strain localizes initially on the BCC-FCC phase boundaries and is then spread in the BCC constituents (ferrite and bainite) creating a deformation skeleton in the BCC phase. It was found that the observed texture changes in the measured retained austenite texture after deformation do not correspond exactly to the model prediction. The austenite texture components which were predicted by the Taylor model were not found in the measured austenite texture after deformation which means that they are first transformed to martensite, which is considered as an indication for the selective transformation of austenite under strain.

Abstract: It is very important to understand interstitial carbon behaviors in cold rolled steel to get the good formability as well as the high strength. In low carbon steel, most of carbons are consumed by the formation of grain boundary cementite during cooling. During heating and holding between Ae1 and Ae3, cementite is dissolved and consequently carbon enriched austenite is formed. By controlled cooling, retained austenite as well as bainite and martensite are formed. In this study, the effect of silicon, intercritical annealing, isothermal bainite transformation on the formation of ferritic bainite, cementite and retained austenite are modeled by nucleation and growth, diffusion and dissolution. In addition, the formation of retained austenite and their carbon contents are modeled and compared with experimental data.

Abstract: Advance high strength steels (AHSS), like dual phase (DP) and transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steels, offer high strength and toughness combined with excellent uniform elongation. However, the higher alloying content of these steels limit their weldability and the thermal cycle of welding processes destroys the carefully designed microstructure. This will result in inferior mechanical properties of the joint. Therefore, joining processes with a low heat input, like brazing, are recommendable. Data regarding mechanical properties of joints in DP and TRIP steel is limited, especially for brazed joints. Results with respect to the fatigue lifetime of laser brazed butt joints are presented. In DP and TRIP steel, crack initiation takes place at the braze toe. In DP steel the crack propagates through the base metal. In TRIP steel, however, the crack may either follow the interface or may continue through the steel depending on the maximum stress level. The different failure mechanisms are explained on the basis of process conditions, the microstructure and the stress state.

Abstract: In this paper some highlights are presented of an integrated numerical and experimental approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of the high strain rate behavior of materials. This is illustrated by an investigation of the multiphase TRansformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel. ‘Classic’ high strain rate tensile experiments using a split Hopkinson tensile bar setup are complemented with strain rate jump tests, tensile tests at elevated temperatures and interrupted experiments. High strain rate compression and three-point bending experiments are performed on the steel sheets as well. The results reveal the excellent energy-absorption properties in dynamic circumstances of TRIP steels. Advanced experimental setups using the Hopkinson principle provide indeed tools for validation of the material and structural properties of TRIP steels.