Yo Tomota

Composite Behavior of Lath Martensite Steels Induced by Plastic Strain, a New Paradigm for the Elastic-Plastic Response of Martensitic Steels

Based on high-resolution neutron diffraction experiments, we will show that in lath martensite steels, the initially homogeneous dislocation structure, i.e., homogeneous on the length scale of grain size, is disrupted by plastic deformation, which, in turn, produces a composite on the length scale of martensite lath packets. The diffraction patterns of plastically strained martensitic steel reveal characteristically asymmetric peak profiles in the same way as has been observed in materials with heterogeneous dislocation structures. The quasi homogeneous lath structure, formed by quenching, is disrupted by plastic deformation producing a composite structure. Lath packets oriented favorably or unfavorably for dislocation glide become soft or hard. Two lath packet types develop by work softening or work hardening in which the dislocation densities become smaller or larger compared to the initial average dislocation density. The decomposition into soft and hard lath packets is accompanied by load redistribution and the formation of long-range internal stresses between the two lath packet types. The composite behavior of plastically deformed lath martensite opens a new way to understand the elastic-plastic response in this class of materials.

Work Hardening, Dislocation Structure, and Load Partitioning in Lath Martensite Determined by In Situ Neutron Diffraction Line Profile Analysis

A lath martensite steel containing 0.22 mass pct carbon was analyzed in situ during tensile deformation by high-resolution time-of-flight neutron diffraction to clarify the large work-hardening behavior at the beginning of plastic deformation. The diffraction peaks in plastically deformed states exhibit asymmetries as the reflection of redistributions of the stress and dislocation densities/arrangements in two lath packets: soft packet, where the dislocation glides are favorable, and hard packet, where they are unfavorable. The dislocation density was as high as 1015xa0m−2 in the as-heat-treated state. During tensile straining, the load and dislocation density became different between the two lath packets. The dislocation character and arrangement varied in the hard packet but hardly changed in the soft packet. In the hard packet, dislocations that were mainly screw-type in the as-heat-treated state became primarily edge-type and rearranged towards a dipole character related to constructing cell walls. The hard packet played an important role in the work hardening in martensite, which could be understood by considering the increase in dislocation density along with the change in dislocation arrangement.

Unusual Plastic Deformation Behavior in Lath Martensitic Steel Containing High Dislocation Density

To understand the strengthening mechanism of a metallic material with high dislocation density, the plastic deformation behavior of lath martensite was studied by means of in situ neutron diffraction measurements during tensile deformations using a 22SiMn2TiB steel and a Fe-18Ni alloy. The characteristics of dislocation were analyzed and were discussed with the relation of stress-strain curves. The dislocation densities (ρ) induced by martensitic transformation during heat-treatment in both materials were found to be originally as high as 1015 m-2 order, and subsequently to increase slightly by the tensile deformation. The parameter M value which displays the dislocation arrangement dropped drastically at the beginning of plastic deformation in both materials, indicating that the random arrangement became more like a dipole arrangement.

Progress in Bulk Texture Measurement Using Neutron Diffraction

Quantum Beam Science Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan; J-PARC Center, Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan; Research Center for Neutron Science and Technology, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society, Tokai, Ibaraki, 319-1106, Japan; Department of Neutron Application Technology, Radiation Application Development Association, Tokai, Ibaraki, 319-1106, Japan; College of Engineering, Ibaraki University, Hitachi, Ibaraki, 316-8511, Japan; Department of Materials Engineering and Industrial Technologies, University of Trento, 7738123 Trento, Italy.