Influence of austenite strength on martensite start temperature Ms

It is known that austenite strength determines the morphology of the new phase during martensitic transformation. As the strength of austenite influences the growth of a martensite crystal, i.e. the movement of the austenite/martensite interface, a correlation between strength of the parent phase and M_s has to exist. M_s depends on thermodynamical and mechanical properties of the alloys. To distinguish the individual variables, austenite strength was changed by different hardening mechanisms: solid solution hardening, plastic deformation or both.     

An investigation of the effects of austenite strength and austenite stacking fault energy on the morphology of martensite in Fe-Ni-Cr-0.3C alloys

The relative effects of austenite stacking fault energy and austenite yield strength on martensite morphology have been investigated in a series of three Fe-Ni-Cr-C alloys. Carbon content (0.3 wt pct) andM ₆ temperature (− 15°) were held constant within the series. Austenite yield strength atM _s was measured by extrapolating elevated temperature tensile data. Austenite stacking fault energy was measured by the dislocation node technique. Martensite morphologies were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction techniques. A transition from plate to lath martensite occurred with decreasing austenite stacking fault energy. The austenite yield strength atM _s for the low SFE, lath-forming alloy was found to be higher than previously reported for lath-forming alloys. The relative effects of these variables on martensite morphologies in these alloys is discussed.     

Retained austenite and tempered martensite embrittlement

The problems of detecting the distribution of small amounts (5 pct or less) of retained austenite films around the martensite in quenched and tempered experimental medium carbon Fe/c/x steels are discussed and electron optical methods of analysis are emphasized. These retained austenite films if stable seem to be beneficial to fracture toughness. It has been found that thermal instability of retained austenite on tempering produces an embrittlement due to its decomposition to interlath films of M₃C carbides. The fractures are thus intergranular with respect to martensite but transgranular with respect to the prior austenite. The temperature at which this occurs depends upon alloy content. The effect is not found in Fe/Mo/C for which no retained austenite is detected after quenching, but is present in all other alloys investigated.     

Transformation of austenite into bainitic ferrite and martensite

The stress induced martensitic transformation in the upper metastable intermediate state of γ-α transformation in ferrous materials, structured as ferritic bainite, is discussed. The fibrous structured ferritic bainite consists of retained austenite and ferrite platelets growing in the [111]α//[101]γ direction. The ferrite growth Induces carbon enrichment of the adjacent austenite at the phase boundaries. Strengthening at high stress levels up to the yield point causes dislocation tangles in the ferrite fibre and the formation of shear bands crossing each other in the retained austenite. At lower carbon contents of the austenite, lath martensite precipitates at the shear band intersections and at high shear band densities martensite blocks are observed. In carbon enriched austenite martensite lenses formed by shear processes have been observed. At alternating loading conditions, exceeding the stress level for athermic martensite formation, various shear planes are activated forming characteristic patterns of plate martensite.     

Effect of Si on austenite stabilization, martensite morphology, and magnetic properties in Fe-26%Ni-x%Si alloys

The effect of Si on the austenite stabilization, martensite morphology, and magnetic properties in Fe-26%Ni-x%Si (x=3.5, 5, and 6)alloys have been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and M(o)ssbauer spectroscopy techniques. TEM observations reveal that the martensite morphology is closely dependent on the Si content. The volume fraction changes of martensite and austenite phases,the hyperfine magnetic field, and isomer shift values have been determined by M(o)ssbauer spectroscopy. The M(o)ssbauer study reveals that the hyperfme magnetic field, the isomer shift values and the volume fiaction of martensite decrease with increasing Si content.     

Effects of martensite morphology on the aging behaviour of virgin martensite

The low temperature aging behaviour of virgin martensite with two different morphologies, thin plate and lenticular martensites, has been studied in the present work. It is revealed by means of internal friction and electrical resistivity measurements that the aging behaviour between these two morphological types of martensite is quite different at temperatures below about 200 K. However, when temperature is above about 250 K, electrical resistivity results show a similar tendency during aging between these two types of martensite, which is in line with the internal friction results obtained. It has also been found that the electrical resistivity started to change even at temperatures as low as 22 K.     

Austenite ferromagnetism and martensite morphology

The Curie temperature of the austenite, the martensite-start temperature, and martensite morphology have been determined in a series of nil-carbon Fe?Ni and Fe?Ni?Co alloys. For these alloys, austenite ferromagnetism aboveM _s is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for the formation of lenticular rather than packet martensite. In contrast to Fe?Ni alloys where lenticular martensite only forms below ≈O°C, some of the Fe?Ni?Co alloys transform to this structure at temperatures up to ≈200°C. The results support the hypothesis that the resistance of austenite to plastic deformation affects the habit plane and thus morphology of the martensite which forms.     

Influence of martensite content and morphology on tensile and impact properties of high-martensite dual-phase steels

A series of dual-phase (DP) steels containing finely dispersed martensite with different volume fractions of martensite (V _m) were produced by intermediate quenching of a boron- and vanadium-containing microalloyed steel. The volume fraction of martensite was varied from 0.3 to 0.8 by changing the intercritical annealing temperature. The tensile and impact properties of these steels were studied and compared to those of step-quenched steels, which showed banded microstructures. The experimental results show that DP steels with finely dispersed microstructures have excellent mechanical properties, including high impact toughness values, with an optimum in properties obtained at ∼0.55 V _m. A further increase in V _m was found to decrease the yield and tensile strengths as well as the impact properties. It was shown that models developed on the basis of a rule of mixtures are inadequate in capturing the tensile properties of DP steels with V _m>0.55. Jaoul-Crussard analyses of the work-hardening behavior of the high-martensite volume fraction DP steels show three distinct stages of plastic deformation.     

Retained austenite and tempered martensite embrittlement in medium carbon steels

Electron microscopy, diffraction and microanalysis, X-ray diffraction, and auger spectroscopy have been used to study quenched and quenched and tempered 0.3 pct carbon low alloy steels. Somein situ fracture studies were also carried out in a high voltage electron microscope. Tempered martensite embrittlement (TME) is shown to arise primarily as a microstructural constraint associated with decomposition of interlath retained austenite into M₃C filM_s upon tempering in the range of 250 °C to 400 °C. In addition, intralath Widmanstätten Fe₃C forms from epsilon carbide. The fracture is transgranular with respect to prior austenite. The sit11Ation is analogous to that in upper bainite. This TME failure is different from temper embrittlement (TE) which o°Curs at higher tempering temperatures (approximately 500 °C), and is not a microstructural effect but rather due to impurity segregation (principally sulfur in the present work) to prior austenite grain boundaries leading to intergranular fracture along those boundaries. Both failures can o°Cur in the same steels, depending on the tempering conditions.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy study of iron-carbon austenite and virgin martensite

In agreement with B. E. C. thermodynamic results, it is found by Mössbauer spectroscopy that high carbon iron-carbon austenite is an ideal solid solution of the carbon atoms distributed in the octahedral interstitial sites. On the other hand Mössbauer spectra for unaged martensite have been reinterpreted on the basis of Lysak’s hypothesis that half of the carbon atoms occupy tetrahedral rather than octahedral interstitial sites.     

The relationship between austenite strength and the transformation to martensite in Fe-10 pct Ni-0.6 pct C alloys

The effect of austenite yield strength on the transformation to martensite was investigated in Fe-10 pct Ni-0.6 pct C alloys. The strength of the austenite was varied by 1) additions of yttrium oxide particles to the base alloy and 2) changing the austenitizing temperature. The austenite strength was measured at three temperatures above theM _s temperature and the data extrapolated to the experimentally determinedM _s temperature. It is shown that the austenite yield strength is determined primarily by the austenite grain size and that the yttrium oxide additions influence the effect of austenitizing temperature on grain size. As the austenite yield strength increases, both theM _s temperature and the amount of transformation product at room temperature decrease. The effect of austenitizing temperature on the transformation is to determine the austenite grain size. The results are consistent with the proposal¹ that the energy required to overcome the resistance of the austenite to plastic deformation is a substantial portion of the non-chemical free energy or restraining force opposing the transformation to martensite.     

Influence of martensite content and morphology on the toughness and fatigue behavior of high-martensite dual-phase steels

A series of high-martensite dual-phase (HMDP) steels exhibiting a 0.3 to 0.8 volume fraction of martensite (V _m ), produced by intermediate quenching (IQ) of a vanadium and boron-containing microalloyed steel, have been studied for toughness and fatigue behavior to supplement the contents of a recent report by the present authors on the unusual tensile behavior of these steels. The studies included assessment of the quasi-static and dynamic fracture toughness and fatigue-crack growth (FCG) behavior of the developed steels. The experimental results show that the quasi-static fracturetoughness (K _ICV ) increases with increasing V _m in the range between V _m =0.3 and 0.6 and then decreases, whereas the dynamic fracture-toughness parameters (K _ID , K _D , and J _ID ) exhibit a significant increase in their magnitudes for steels containing 0.45 to 0.60 V _m before achieving a saturation plateau. Both the quasi-static and dynamic fracture-toughness values exhibit the best range of toughnesses for specimens containing approximately equal amounts of precipitate-free ferrite and martensite in a refined microstructural state. The magnitudes of the fatigue threshold in HMDP steels, for V _m between 0.55 and 0.60, appear to be superior to those of structural steels of a similar strength level. The Paris-law exponents (m) for the developed HMDP steels increase with increasing V _m , with an attendant decrease in the pre-exponential factor (C).     

Magnetic investigation of martensite ⇌ austenite transformations in Fe-Ni-Co alloys

The martensite ⇌ austenite transformations were investigated in Fe-Ni-Co alloys containing about 65 wt pct Fe and up to 15 wt pct Co. A change in morphology of martensite from plate-like to lath-type occurred with increasing cobalt content; this change in morphology correlates with the disappearance of the Invar anomaly in the austenite. The martensite-to-austenite reverse transformation differed depending on martensite morphology. Reversion of plate-like martensite was found to occur by simple disintegration of the martensite platelets. Reverse austenite formed from lath-type martensite was not retained when quenched from much aboveA _s, with microcracks forming during theM→γ→M transformation.     

The morphology and substructure of Ti-Cu martensite

The martensites in Ti-Cu alloys containing up to 8 wt pct Cu have been examined using transmission electron microscopy techniques. The martensite has a massive morphology in the alloys which contain 4 pct Cu or less, whereas the alloys containing 6 and 8 pct Cu exhibit acicular martensite. Experimental evidence is presented to show that the lattice invariant deformation in the massive martensite occurs by internal slip with a Burgers vector and these results are discussed in terms of recent calculations. The transition from the massive to acicular martensite morphology is also discussed. Formerly Pre-Doctoral Research Associate, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.     

A metallographic study of the influence of the austenite grain size on martensite kinetics

The effects of the austenite grain size on the kinetics of ‘athermal’ martensite in Fe 31.9 Ni-0.02C were studied by methods of quantitative metallography. The kinetics of the process of propagation of the reaction was also investigated. A simple model is presented which describes the data adequately. It is concluded that the finer the austenite grain size, the more important is the influence of propagation in determining the over-all reaction kinetics. The results were also found compatible with the mechanism of propagation by stimulation across the grain and twin boundaries of the austenite.     

The morphology of martensite in iron alloys

Light and electron microscopy have been used to determine the main structural differences between the two major types of martensite in ferrous alloys. In the martensite that forms in dilute alloys of iron, the basic transformation unit takes the shape of a lath, and hence the term lath martensite is appropriate for identifying this morphology. Each lath is the result of a homogeneous shear, and successive shears produce a packet of parallel laths containing a high density of tangled dislocations. The other type, plate martensite, differs in the shape taken by a transformation unit and its transformation sequence is characterized by nonparallel plate formation. Investigation of a large number of binary ferrous systems shows that alloy composition and the transformation temperature influence the transition from lath to plate martensite. These two factors are discussed in terms of their possible effects on the plastic deformation mechanisms which must occur in the parent austenite and product martensite during transformation.