C. Garcia-Mateo

Tempering of hard mixture of bainitic ferrite and austenite

Abstract Recent work has shown that bainitic ferrite plates produced by transformation at low temperatures can be as thin as 20 nm with a hardness in excess of 650 HV30, tensile strength ~2.3 GPa and toughness ~30 MPa m1/2. Because these properties rely on the fine scale of the microstructure, a study has been carried out in relation to the tempering resistance of steel over the temperature range 350 – 750°C. It is found that significant softening occurs only after the plates of ferrite begin to coarsen. The coarsening process is hindered by the intense precipitation of carbides resulting from decomposition of the carbon enriched retained austenite. The carbides themselves lead to some precipitation strengthening during the early stages of tempering. The ferrite is found to contain excess carbon, beyond its solubility limit, and X-ray analysis indicates that the carbon is associated with heterogeneous strains in the microstructure. It does not readily precipitate until the onset of substantial recovery during annealing.

Mechanical Properties of Low-Temperature Bainite

The mechanical properties of a bainitic microstructure with slender ferrite plates (20-65 nm in thickness) in a matrix of carbon-enriched retained austenite were characterized. The microstructure is generated by isothermal transformation at temperatures in the range 200-300°C. A yield strength as high as 1.5 GPa and an ultimate tensile strength between 1.77 to 2.2 GPa was achieved, depending on the transformation temperature. Furthermore, the high strength is frequently accompanied by ductility (£ 30%) and respectable levels of fracture toughness (< 45 MPa m0.5). This unusual combination of properties is attributed to the exceptionally fine scale of the carbidefree bainitic microstructure and the associated retained austenite.

Bainite formation influenced by large stress

Abstract By using an iron alloy that transforms slowly to bainite at a low temperature, it has been possible to study the development of the upper bainite under the influence of exceptionally large stresses, which are nevertheless below the yield strength of the parent austenite. It is found that a uniaxial stress whose magnitude is below the elastic limit, strongly favours the growth of compliant variants, leading to an organised microstructure. It also accelerates the overall rate of reaction. A comparison between samples transformed with and without an applied stress revealed significant changes in the crystallographic texture, consistent with the observed microstructures. Stress assisted transformation resulted in large blocks of bainite in identical orientation.

Evaluation of potential of high Si high C steel nanostructured bainite for wear and fatigue applications

Abstract The present study is concerned with the potential of high carbon, high silicon steel grades isothermally transformed to bainite at low temperature (<300°C). The first part gives an overview of the design principles, allowing very high strength and ductility to be achieved while minimising transformation duration. Wear and fatigue properties are then investigated for over 10 variants of such materials, manufactured in the laboratory or industrially. The results are discussed against published data. Tensile strengths above 2 GPa are routinely achieved, with, in one case, an exceptional and unprecedented total elongation of over 20%. Bainite plate thickness and retained austenite content are shown to be important factors in controlling the yield strength, though additional, non-negligible parameters remain to be quantified. Rolling–sliding wear performances are found to be exceptional, with as little as 1% of the specific wear rate of conventional 100Cr6 isothermally transformed to bainite. It is suggested that this results from the decomposition of retained austenite in the worn layer, which considerably increases hardness and presumably introduces compressive residual stresses. Fatigue performance was slightly improved over 100Cr6 for one of the two industrially produced materials but significantly lower otherwise. Factors controlling fatigue resistance require further investigations.

On measurement of carbon content in retained austenite in a nanostructured bainitic steel

In this study, the carbon content of retained austenite in a nanostructured bainitic steel was measured by atom probe tomography and compared with data derived from the austenite lattice parameter determined by X-ray diffraction. The results provide new evidence about the heterogeneous distribution of carbon in austenite, a fundamental issue controlling ductility in this type of microstructure.

Influence of bainite morphology on impact toughness of continuously cooled cementite free bainitic steels

Abstract The influence of bainite morphology on the impact toughness behaviour of continuously cooled cementite free low carbon bainitic steels has been examined. In these steels, bainitic microstructures formed mainly by lath-like upper bainite, consisting of thin and long parallel ferrite laths, were shown to exhibit higher impact toughness values than those with a granular bainite, consisting of equiaxed ferrite structure and discrete island of martensite/austenite constituent. Results suggest that the mechanism of brittle fracture of cementite free bainitic steels involves the nucleation of microcracks in martensite/austenite islands but is controlled by the bainite packet size.

Static recrystallization kinetics in warm worked vanadium microalloyed steels

Abstract The effect of vanadium on static recrystallization kinetics of vanadium microalloyed carbon steels after simulating warm working conditions has been determined using the stress relaxation method in plane strain compression tests. In the warm working regime, undissolved fine V(C,N) precipitates promote a fine austenite grain size during reheating and interact with the recrystallization process after working, leading to longer recrystallization times in comparison with plain C–Mn steels. The interaction between precipitates and recrystallization is different to that observed for hot working conditions, retarding the total recrystallization process and thus resulting in a lower value of the Avrami exponent and a longer t 0.5 time.

Nanostructured steel industrialisation: plausible reality

Abstract It is not the first time that a consortium of steel makers, end users and scientists end up with unique approaches and developments in the physical metallurgy of steels. The present paper reveals the scientific and technological developments of a consortium sharing a common intrigue and interest for a unique microstructure, nanostructured bainite. Also known as low temperature bainite, its unique properties rely solely on the scale of the miscrostructure obtained by heat treatment at low temperature (150–350°C). Careful design based on phase transformation theory, some well known metallurgy facts and the necessary industrial experience were the ingredients for a further step towards the industrialisation of these microstructures.

Strengthening and mechanical stability mechanisms in nanostructured bainite

Understanding the main relationships between the microstructure parameters controlling the strength and ductility of low temperature bainitic microstructures is of considerable importance for further development of these grades. Although the microstructure essentially consists of solely two phases, bainitic ferrite and retained austenite, the complexity of the different microstructural characteristics, the natural consequence of its unique transformation mechanisms, might not provide with one unique answer, but a set of several parameters interdependent among them. This paper will deal with some of these relationships’ microstructure properties, strength, and ductility, with special emphasis in the mechanical stability (TRIP effect) of retained austenite.

Distribution of dislocations in nanostructured bainite

The dislocation density in ferrite and austenite of a bainitic microstructure obtained by transformation at very low temperature (300 °C) has been determined using transmission electron microscopy. Observations revealed that bainitic ferrite plates consist of two distinctive regions with different substructures. A central region in the ferrite plate is observed with dislocations that may result from lattice-invariant deformation at the earlier stage of bainite growth. As plastic deformation occurs in the surrounding austenite to accommodate the transformation strain as growth progresses, the Ferrite/Austenite interface has also a very distinctive dislocation profile. In addition, atom-probe tomography suggested that dislocation tangles observed in the vicinity of the ferrite/austenite interface might trap higher amount of carbon than single dislocations inside the bainitic ferrite plate.