Effect of simulated thermal cycles on the microstructure of the heat-affected zone in HSLA-80 and HSLA-100 steel plates

The influence of weld thermal simulation on the transformation kinetics and heat-affected zone (HAZ) microstructure of two high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels, HSLA-80 and HSLA-100, has been investigated. Heat inputs of 10 kJ/cm (fast cooling) and 40 kJ/cm (slow cooling) were used to generate single-pass thermal cycles with peak temperatures in the range of 750 °C to 1400 °C. The prior-austenite grain size is found to grow rapidly beyond 1100 °C in both the steels, primarily with the dissolution of niobium carbonitride (Nb(CN)) precipitates. Dilatation studies on HSLA-80 steel indicate transformation start temperatures (T _s ) of 550 °C to 560 °C while cooling from a peak temperature (T _p ) of 1000 °C. Transmission electron microscopy studies show here the presence of accicular ferrite in the HAZ. The T _s value is lowered to 470 °C and below when cooled from a peak temperature of 1200 °C and beyond, with almost complete transformation to lath martensite. In HSLA-100 steel, the T _s value for accicular ferrite is found to be 470 °C to 490 °C when cooled from a peak temperature of 1000 °C, but is lowered below 450 °C when cooled from 1200 °C and beyond, with correspondingly higher austenite grain sizes. The transformation kinetics appears to be relatively faster in the fine-grained austenite than in the coarse-grained austenite, where the niobium is in complete solid solution. A mixed microstructure consisting of accicular ferrite and lath martensite is observed for practically all HAZ treatments. The coarse-grained HAZ (CGHAZ) of HSLA-80 steel shows a higher volume fraction of lath martensite in the final microstructure and is harder than the CGHAZ of HSLA-100 steel.     

Effect of simulated thermal cycles on the microstructure of the heat-affected zone in HSLA-80 and HSLA-100 steel plates

The influence of weld thermal simulation on the transformation kinetics and heat-affected zone (HAZ) microstructure of two high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels, HSLA-80 and HSLA-100, has been investigated. Heat inputs of 10 kJ/cm (fast cooling) and 40 kJ/cm (slow cooling) were used to generate single-pass thermal cycles with peak temperatures in the range of 750 °C to 1400 °C. The prior-austenite grain size is found to grow rapidly beyond 1100 °C in both the steels, primarily with the dissolution of niobium carbonitride (Nb(CN)) precipitates. Dilatation studies on HSLA-80 steel indicate transformation start temperatures (T _s ) of 550 °C to 560 °C while cooling from a peak temperature (T _p ) of 1000 °C. Transmission electron microscopy studies show here the presence of accicular ferrite in the HAZ. The T _s value is lowered to 470 °C and below when cooled from a peak temperature of 1200 °C and beyond, with almost complete transformation to lath martensite. In HSLA-100 steel, the T _s value for accicular ferrite is found to be 470 °C to 490 °C when cooled from a peak temperature of 1000 °C, but is lowered below 450 °C when cooled from 1200 °C and beyond, with correspondingly higher austenite grain sizes. The transformation kinetics appears to be relatively faster in the fine-grained austenite than in the coarse-grained austenite, where the niobium is in complete solid solution. A mixed microstructure consisting of accicular ferrite and lath martensite is observed for practically all HAZ treatments. The coarse-grained HAZ (CGHAZ) of HSLA-80 steel shows a higher volume fraction of lath martensite in the final microstructure and is harder than the CGHAZ of HSLA-100 steel.     

含磷TRIP钢的CCT图

为了探索合金元素在TRIP钢相变过程中的重要作用,利用金相、显微硬度等方法研究了四种不同合金成分C-Mn-Al-PTRIP钢的CCT图.结果表明:Al元素强烈地缩小奥氏体相区,提高Ac₃与Ms;Al元素促使CCT图左移和上移.P元素能够阻碍碳化物生成,当钢中P质量分数达到0.14%时,能显著地将CCT图中的珠光体区与贝氏体区右移;P元素对铁素体相变和马氏体相变没有显著的影响.结果还显示出随着冷却速率的增加,材料的显微硬度随之增加.对于每一种成分,超过其临界冷却速率时,将得到完全的马氏体组织.     

Effect of microstructure on hydrogen embrittlement of weld-simulated HSLA-80 and HSLA-100 steels

HSLA-80 and HSLA-100 steels have been subjected to weld-simulated grain-coarsened heat-affected zone (GCHAZ) and grain-refined heat-affected zone (GRHAZ) treatments at peak temperatures of 1350 °C and 950 °C, respectively, followed by varying cooling rates to approximate the weld heat inputs of 10 to 50 kJ/cm. Subsequent slow strain rate testing in synthetic seawater has been employed to assess the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) propensity of the materials. It is indicated that in spite of an increase in strength after weld simulation, further ductility deterioration, compared to the base material under similar testing conditions, did not occur in GCHAZ HSLA-100 steel and for low heat input condition of GRHAZ HSLA-80. This has been attributed to their HE resistant microstructures. Predominant acicular ferrite or lath martensite or a combination of both imparts resistance to HE, as observed in the case of grain-coarsened HSLA-100 and for the low heat input grain-refined HSLA-80 steels. The deleterious effect of bainitic-martensitic microstructure has been reflected in the ductility values of grain-coarsened HSLA-80, which is in agreement with the observation of higher susceptibility of the as-received HSLA-100 steel having a similar structure. However, contrary to its beneficial effect in the as-received HSLA-80, an acicular ferrite structure has shown vulnerability toward HE for high heat input grain-refined HSLA-80. This has been attributed to the presence of polygonal ferrite and to the development of an HE susceptible substructure on GRHAZ weld simulation.     

Microstructural changes in HSLA-100 steel thermally cycled to simulate the heat-affected zone during welding

The microstructural changes that occur in a commercial HSLA-100 steel thermally cycled to simulate weld heat affected zone (HAZ) behavior were systematically investigated primarily by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Eight different weld thermal cycles, with peak temperatures representative of four HAZ regions (the tempered region, the intercritical region, the fine-grained austenitized region, and the coarse-grained austenitized region) and cooling rates characteristic of high heat input (cooling rate (CR) = 5 °C/s) and low heat input (CR = 60 °C/s) welding were simulated in a heating/quenching dilatometer. The as-received base plate consisted of heavily tempered lath martensite, acicular ferrite, and retained austenite matrix phases with precipitates of copper, niobiumcarbonitride, and cementite. The microstructural changes in both the matrix and precipitate phases due to thermal cycling were examined by TEM and correlated with the results of (1) conventional optical microscopy, (2) prior austenite grain size measurements, (3) microhardness testing, and (4) dilatometric analysis. Many of the thermal cycles resulted in dramatic changes in both the microstructures and the properties due to the synergistic interaction between the simulated position in the HAZ and the heat input. Some of these microstructures deviate substantially from those predicted from published continuous cooling transformation (CCT) curves. The final microstructure was predominantly dependent upon peak temperature(i.e., position within the HAZ), although the cooling rate(i.e., heat input) strongly affected the microstructures of the simulated intercritical and finegrained austenitized regions. A. MATUSZESKI, formerly Summer Student, Physical Metallurgy Branch, Naval Research Laboratory.     

Failure behavior of heat-affected zones within HSLA-100 and HY-100 steel weldments

The deformation and fracture behavior of simulated heat-affected zones (HAZ) within HSLA-100 and HY-100 steel weldments has been studied as a function of stress state using notched and unnotched axisymmetric tensile specimens. For the case of the HSLA-100 steel, the results for fine-grained, as well as coarse-grain HAZ (CGHAZ) material, show that, despite large differences in the deformation behavior when compared to base plate or weld metal, the failure strains are only weakly dependent on the thermal history or microstructure. Ductile microvoid fracture dominates the failure of the HSLA-100 steel with small losses of ductility occurring in the HAZ conditions only at high stress triaxialities. In contrast, the HY-100 steel is susceptible to a large loss of ductility over all of the stress states when subjected to a severe, single-pass simulation of a CGHAZ. The ductility loss is greatest at the high stress triaxiality ratio in which case failure initiation occurs by a combination of localized cleavage and ductile microvoid fracture.     

Austenite decomposition during continuous cooling of an HSLA-80 plate steel

Decomposition of fine-grained austenite (10-μm grain size) during continuous cooling of an HSLA-80 plate steel (containing 0.05C, 0.50Mn, 1.12Cu, 0.88Ni, 0.71Cr, and 0.20Mo) was evaluated by dilatometric measurements, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and microhardness testing. Between 750 °C and 600 °C, austenite transforms primarily to polygonal ferrite over a wide range of cooling rates, and Widmanst?tten ferrite sideplates frequently evolve from these crystals. Carbon-enriched islands of austenite transform to a complex mixture of granular ferrite, acicular ferrite, and martensite (all with some degree of retained austenite) at cooling rates greater than approximately 5 °C/s. Granular and acicular ferrite form at temperatures slightly below those at which polygonal and Widmanst?tten ferrite form. At cooling rates less than approximately 5 °C/s, regions of carbon-enriched austenite transform to a complex mixture of upper bainite, lower bainite, and martensite (plus retained austenite) at temperatures which are over 100 °C lower than those at which polygonal and Widmanst?tten ferrite form. Interphase precipitates of copper form only in association with polygonal and Widmanst?tten ferrite. Kinetic and microstruc-tural differences between Widmanst?tten ferrite, acicular ferrite, and bainite (both upper and lower) suggest different origins and/or mechanisms of formation for these morphologically similar austenite transformation products. Formerly Graduate Student, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines. This article is based on a presentation made during TMS/ASM Materials Week in the symposium entitled “Atomistic Mechanisms of Nucleation and Growth in Solids,” organized in honor of H.I. Aaronson’s 70th Anniversary and given October 3–5, 1994, in Rosemont, Illinois.     

含Nb低碳Si-Mn系TRIP钢的连续冷却转变

利用Gleeble-1500热应力/应变模拟机研究了Nb对低碳Si-Mn系TRIP钢连续冷却转变的影响,测定了含nb和不含Nb两种低碳Si-Mn系TRIP钢的连续冷却转变(CCT)曲线,结果表明:Nb的加入使得静态CCT曲线上移;动态CCT曲线下移.试验结果可为TRIP钢的TMCP(Thermo-Mechnical Control Processing)工艺提供理论依据.     

Multicomponent phase diagrams applicable to austenitic stainless steels at 600 and 650°c

The experimental Fe-Ni-Cr ternary diagrams are extended into the quaternaryX-field forX = Mo, Ti, Mn, Si, Nb, Ta using pair potential models for the fcc, bcc and sigma phases and free energy relations deduced for the Fe-Ni-Cr system by Kaufman and Nesor. The constrained diagrams for constant pctX are in agreement with observations made by others. Also, a correlation is found between the calculated effect of a given addition ofX on the difference in energies between the sigma and fcc phases and its Cr equivalent deduced empirically from impact energy measurements by Hull. It is suggested that the procedures developed in this investigation should have wide applicability in alloy design. In particular, it may be helpful in discovering sigma free compositions for stainless steels.     

HSLA-100钢板强度和连续冷却转变行为模型

1　前言在过去的几十年中 ,具有以强度、韧性和焊接性优良组合来满足航海和其他结构应用迫切需求的新型高强度低合金钢 ( HSLA)发展迅猛。这些钢具有较低的碳含量 ( <0 .0 6% ) ,以提高钢的焊接性能并依靠铌和铜析出强化。早期开发一系列(例如 HY- 80和 HY- 1 0 0 )钢种的主要目的是减少必需的再加热以降低成本 ,HSLA- 80、HSL A- 1 0 0和 DLCB钢均属于这一系列。虽然对这些高强度低合金钢 ( HSLA)的机械性能和显微组织作过详细地研究 ,但是对连续冷却转变行为与奥氏体化温度及转变产物的显微组织特点关系的了解仍然不透彻 ,尤其…     

Continuous cooling deformation testing of steels

In the processing of steel, the design of any kind of heat treatment and/or thermomechanical processing schedule, to obtain a given microstructure, is greatly facilitated by the knowledge of the austenite-to-ferrite transformation characteristics. In the past, isothermal and continuous cooling tests were used in the laboratory to create time-temperature-transformation and continuous cooling transformation diagrams, respectively, which then served as the source of transformation data. The problem with such information is that it is only truly applicable to one particular microstructure, usually one resulting from a simple reheating cycle in the austenite region. Most industrial steel processing operations additionally involve several stages of high-temperature deformation leading to changes in the microstructure emerging from the final pass. To account for this situation, a novel laboratory method for the determination of the transformation characteristics, based on continuous cooling deformation testing, was developed. A major attraction of this test technique is that the specific microstructure, for which the transformation characteristics are required, can be generated by hot deformation and then immediately evaluated by continuous cooling deformation. In this article, the basic continuous cooling deformation test technique and general methods of data analysis are illustrated, using results from several different grades of steel. Formerly with the Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, McGill University     

Simulation study on heat-affected zone of high-strain X80 pipeline steel

The microstructure evolution and impact-toughness variation of heat-affected zone(HAZ)in X80 highstrain pipeline steel were investigated via a welding thermal-simulation technique,Charpy impact tests,and scanning electron microscopy observations under different welding heat inputs and peak temperatures.The results indicate that when heat input was between 17 and 25kJ·cm~(-1),the coarse-grained heat-affected zone showed improved impact toughness.When the heat input was increased further,the martensite-austenite(M-A)islands transformed from fine lath into a massive block.Therefore,impact toughness was substantially reduced.When the heat input was 20kJ·cm~(-1) and the peak temperature of the first thermal cycle was between 900 and 1300°C,a higher impact toughness was obtained.When heat input was 20kJ·cm~(-1) and the peak temperature of the first thermal cycle was 1300°C,the impact toughness value at the second peak temperature of 900°C was higher than that at the second peak temperature of 800°C because of grain refining and uniformly dispersed M-A constituents in the matrix of bainite.     

Effect of cooling rate on the as-quenched microstructure and mechanical properties of HSLA-100 steel plates

The effect of cooling rate on the as-quenched microstructure and mechanical properties of a 14-mm-thick HSLA-100 steel using various cooling media such as brine, water, oil, air, and furnace has been studied. While quenching in brine, water, and oil resulted in lath martensite structures, the granular bainite and martensite-austenite (M-A) constituents were found in air- or furnace-cooled specimens. The average lath spacing increased slightly on decreasing the cooling rate (300 nm in brine-quenched specimen to 400 nm in oil-quenched specimen). The precipitates of Cu and Nb(C, N) were observed in all the quenching conditions except in the brine-quenched specimen. The as-quenched strength and toughness of the brine-, water-, and oil-quenched specimens were higher (yield strength: 894 to 997 MPa, ultimate tensile strength: 1119 to 1153 MPa, and Charpy V-notch energies: 65 to 70 J at −85 °C) than those of air- and furnace-cooled specimens (yield strength: 640 to 670 MPa, ultimate tensile strength: 944 to 1001 MPa, and Charpy V-notch energies: 10 to 20 J at −85 °C). For industrial production of HSLA-100 steel plates, oil or water quenching is recommended in lower thickness plates (<25 mm). For production of thicker plates, however, water quenching is more suitable.     

Toughness improvement by Zr addition in the simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone of high-strength low-alloy steels

The effect of Zr addition on the microstructure and impact toughness in the coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of high-strength low-alloy steels subjected to 100?kJ?cm^-1 heat input was investigated. The second- phase particles were mainly Al–Ti complex oxides and (Ti,Nb)N precipitates in Zr-free steel, whereas lots of finer Zr–Al–Ti complex oxides and (Al,Ti,Nb)N precipitates were formed in Zr-bearing steel because of Zr addition. These finer oxides and precipitates effectively restricted the austenite grain growth by pinning effect during welding thermal cycle, and smaller and more uniform prior austenite grains were obtained in CGHAZ of Zr-bearing steel. Furthermore, more acicular ferrite grains nucleated on Zr–Al–Ti complex oxides, inducing formation of fine-grained microstructure in CGHAZ of Zr-bearing steel. The toughness improvement in CGHAZ of Zr-bearing steel with dimple fracture surface was attributed to the grain refinement by pinning effect and acicular ferrite formation.     

Improved toughness properties in the heat-affected zone of welded joints made from fine-grained structural steels

The investigation of the toughness properties in the heat-affected zone of submerged-arc welds performed on 20 to 30 mm thick plates made of normalized fine-grained structural steels with yield strengths of 280 to 480 N/mm² established that the notched-bar impact energy produced in the heat-affected zone by means of a high heat input (t_8/5 > 40s) can be improved by alloying with titanium. The titanium-alloyed steels display toughness properties in the heat affected zone that roughly correspond with the values of the base material, while the heat affected zone of titanium-free steels, when compared with the base material, displays appreciably inferior notched-bar impact energy values.     

An experimental and theoretical study of heat-affected zone austenite reformation in three duplex stainless steels

Three duplex grades, one molybdenum-free, one 22Cr type, and one super duplex grade, have been subjected to weld simulation treatments, and the resulting microstructures have been quantified by automatic image analysis techniques. Substantial differences between the duplex grades were observed with an increased ability to reform austenite with increased alloying content. A theoretical model has been applied, based upon the paraequilibrium concept elaborated by Hillert, and the paraequilibrium compositions of individual phases were calculated as a function of temperature using the THERMOCALC database. A model based on Cahns theory of grain boundary nucleated reactions has also been utilized to calculate the kinetics of the reaction. By using this model, the grain size effects could be included in the treatment. The results of the calculations were compared with experimental data, and the experimental results were reproduced using the same parameter set for the three materials, with the exception of the diffusion coefficient values which had to be adjusted. This adjustment has in a later study been verified experimentally. The results validate the model used and the physical relevance of using the paraequilibrium model. The appropriateness of a paraequilibrium approach is also supported by experimental evidence from weld metal compositions. It is shown that the nitrogen content of the alloys plays an important role, and a higher nitrogen content results in more efficient austenite reformation. This implies that the alloy nitrogen compositions should lie close to the upper specification limits for these materials and nitrogen losses should be avoided on welding since the material properties, both mechanical and corrosive, are strongly related to the austenite-ferrite phase ratio.     

铌钒微合金化高强度船板钢的连续冷却转变规律

利用相变仪和热模拟试验机模拟现场生产工艺条件测定了一种铌钒微合金化高强度船板钢的静态和经三种终轧温度变形后的动态连续冷却转变(CCT)曲线.结果表明:同静态CCT曲线比较,实验钢的动态CCT曲线整体向左上方移动.随冷却速度的增大,实验钢的γ/α相变开始温度逐渐降低;贝氏体相变开始温度B_s先升高到一个平台,随冷却速度的进一步增加又降低;铁素体晶粒细化.终轧温度自900降至800℃,动态CCT曲线的γ/α相变开始温度及贝氏体上临界冷却速度轻微增加,B_s下降10℃左右,晶粒细化.     

25MnVK钢奥氏体的连续冷却相变

采用THERMECMASTOR-Z热模拟试验机研究25MnVK钢变形奥氏体在连续冷却过程中的相变规律,用膨胀法结合金相组织以及硬度值测定该钢的连续冷却转变曲线(CCT).结果表明,该钢的奥氏体化温度为920 ℃.当连续冷却速度小于2 ℃/s时得到的组织为铁素体 珠光体,大于2 ℃/s时出现贝氏体,大于50 ℃/s出现马氏体组织,所以通过控制不同的冷速,可以得到适合的组织.为制定25MnVK钢加热制度和控冷工艺提供了基本条件.此外V的加入使得钢的组织转变得到明显的推迟,CCT曲线右移,钢的淬透性得到提高.