Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of High‐Strength Fe‐Mn‐Al‐C Light‐Weight TRIPLEX Steels

High‐strength TRIPLEX light‐weight steels of the generic composition Fe‐xMn‐yAl‐zC contain 18 ‐ 28 % manganese, 9 ‐ 12 % aluminium, and 0.7 ‐ 1.2 % C (in mass %). The microstructure is composed of an austenitic γ‐Fe(Mn, Al, C) solid solution matrix possessing a fine dispersion of nano size κ‐carbides (Fe,Mn)₃ AlC_1‐x and α‐Fe(Al, Mn) ferrite of varying volume fractions. The calculated Gibbs free energy of the phase transformation γ_fcc → ?_hcp amounts to ΔG^γ→? = 1757 J/mol and the stacking fault energy was determined to Γ_SF = 110 mJ/m². This indicates that the austenite is very stable and no strain induced ?‐martensite will be formed. Mechanical twinning is almost inhibited during plastic deformation. The TRIPLEX steels exhibit low density of 6.5 to 7 g/cm³ and superior mechanical properties, such as high strength of 700 to 1100 MPa and total elongations up to 60 % and more. The specific energy absorption achieved at high strain rates of 10³ s^?1 is about 0.43 J/mm³. TEM investigations revealed clearly that homogeneous shear band formation accompanied by dislocation glide occurred in deformed tensile samples. The dominant deformation mechanism of these steels is shear band induced plasticity ‐SIP effect‐ sustained by the uniform arrangement of nano size κ‐carbides coherent to the austenitic matrix. The high flow stresses and tensile strengths are caused by effective solid solution hardening and superimposed dispersion strengthening.     

Intercritical Rolling Induced Ultrafine Lamellar Structure and Enhanced Mechanical Properties ofMedium-Mn Steel

The medium-Mn steel with ferrite and austenite structure was rolled in the intercritical region down to dif- ferent rolling reduction. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the rolled steels were investigated by scan- ning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and tensile tests. It was found that the ferrite and austenite structure gradually evolved into an ultrafine structure from the random directional lath structure to lamellar structure with lath longitudinal direction parallel to the rolling direction with increasing rolling strain. It was found that the thickness of the laths was gradually refined with increasing rolling strain. The lath thickness is about 0. 15 9m stored with high density dislocations and the austenite volume fraction of the steel is about 24% after 80% rolling reduction. Furthermore, it was interesting to find that yield strength, tensile strength and total elongation of the 80% rolled medium-Mn steel are about 1000 MPa, 1250 MPa and 24%, respectively, demonstrating an excellent combination of the strength and ductility. Based on the microstructure examination, it was proposed that the grain refinement of the medium-Mn steels could be attributed to the duplex structure and the low rolling temperature. Analysis of the relationship between the microstructure and the mechanical properties indicated that the high yield strength mainly resulted from the ultrafine grain size and the high density dislocation, but the improved ductili- ty may be attributed to the large fractions of austenite retained after intercritical rolling.     

An Ultra-low Carbon, Thermomechanically Controlled Processed Microalloyed Steel: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

In the current study, a novel ultra-low carbon, high-molybdenum-bearing microalloyed steel has been thermomechanically processed. Transformation of this steel during continuous cooling has been assessed. Variation in the microstructure and mechanical properties at different finish rolling temperatures has been studied. The average grain size, misorientation of grain boundary, and distribution of ferrite grains have been analyzed by using electron backscatter diffraction. The lower yield strength (251 to 377?MPa) with moderate tensile strength (406 to 506?MPa) along with high ductility (30 to 47?pct) has been achieved in the selected range of finish rolling temperatures. Superior impact toughness value in the range of 153 to 162?J is obtained in the subsize specimen even at subzero temperatures (233?K [?40?°C]), which is attributed to fine average ferrite grain size. The acicular ferrite dominated microstructure obtained at the 1023?K (750?°C) finish rolling temperature is the most attractive microstructure for pipeline applications due to its excellent combination of strength and toughness.     

Recrystallization Behavior Design for Controlling Grain Size in Strip Rolling Process

To promote effectively dynamic recrystallization and obtain a homogeneous distribution of ultrafine grain size in strip finish rolling process,the behavior of static and dynamic recrystallization must be appropriately designed to provide an ultrafine austenite microstructure without mixed grain size.The design of rolling schedule was analyzed based on the control of the recrystallization behavior to achieve ultrafine grain size in the strip rolling process of niobium microalloyed steel.The experimental simulations were presented to validate the twice dynamic recrystallization design to achieve ultrafine grain size control.     

Particles,Microstructures, and Impact Toughness of CGHAZ of Ca Deoxidation Shipbuilding Steel Plates with Different Nb Contents

Herein, the effects of the Nb content on the particles, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties of base metal (BM) and high-heat input coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of shipbuilding steel plates with Ca deoxidation are studied. With increasing Nb content, the strength and microhardness of the BM increase without significant loss of impact toughness. However, in CGHAZ, the average grain size increases from 168 to 244 μm, and the brittle phase fraction increases from 0.33% to 11.76%. The high-angled grain boundary (HAGB) density in microstructures reduces from 0.35 to 0.19 μm⁻¹, and the average effective grain sizes increase from 10.97 to 12.48 μm. The particles in 40 Nb-BM and 40 Nb-CGHAZ are mainly cubic TiN particles. In 170 Nb, except for cubic particles, there are approximately ellipsoid particles with high value of Nb content, which tend to dissolve into matrix at the elevated temperature. With increasing Nb content, the average size of particles in CGHAZ increases from 18.33 to 32.29 nm, and the number density decreases from 13.44 to 10.35 μm⁻². Therefore, the impact toughness of CGHAZ decreases from 197 to 96 J at −20 °C under the high-heat input welding of 400 kJ cm⁻¹.     

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ultrafine-Grained Interstitial-Free Steel Processed by ECAP

Equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) of interstitial-free (IF) steel at equivalent strain, ε_vm = 12 has been employed to develop ultrafine-grained (UFG) microstructure with high fraction of low angle grain boundaries, that enhances strength significantly with reduced tensile ductility. ECAPed IF steel has been deformed further by cold rolling/cryorolling at ?50 °C to >90 % reduction in area. It is observed that the UFG structure gets refined with an improvement in high angle grain boundary fraction and heavily stressed non-equilibrium grain boundaries in cryorolled state resulting in significant strengthening. However, the decrease in grain size to an ultrafine level with the increased lattice strain lowers the work hardening ability of the material that limits its ductility. Hence, the rolled samples are flash annealed at 675 °C in order to recover the ductility of the material by achieving partially recrystallized structures. Consequently, the increased subgrain size as well as the grain size, the reduced residual lattice strain, lower hardness and strength with marginal recovery of ductility is maintained in order to attain the yield strength 2–3 times compared to that of as-received coarse-grained IF steel.     

Ultrafine Grained Steels with Improved Ductility Fabricated by Repetitive Thermo‐Mechanical Processing

Ultrafine grained (UFG) steels with bimodal grained microstructure consisting of ultrafine grains in the size of 400 nm and micrometer‐sized grains were obtained by repetitive thermo‐mechanical processing. The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties were studied. It was revealed that the formation of the bimodal grained microstructure is attributed to the combination of continuous and discontinuous recrystallization. Compared with the uniform UFG steel with average grain size of about 400 nm, the ductility was remarkably improved by introducing micrometer‐sized grains into the UFG microstructure, providing better strength‐ductility balance.     

On the Relation between Carbide Density and Grain Boundary Character in Tempered Martensite Ferritic Steels

In the present study we investigate the microstructure of tempered martensite ferritic steels. It is well known that inside former austenite grains and inside packets of former martensite laths ultrafine micro grains (average size near: 1 μm) govern the strength of this material class. Micro grain boundaries are decorated by carbides (average size after creep near: 0.05 μm). However, in transmission electron micrographs it is commonly found that there are micro grain boundaries with a high carbide density while there are others where no carbides can be detected. In the present study we make an attempt to decide whether the crystallographic character of micro grain boundaries can be related to the number density of carbides at the boundaries. Kikuchi line diffraction patterns were used to determine the misorientation angle between two adjacent micro grains; we select only micro grain boundaries which represent <110> ‐ and <100> ‐ twist boundaries. A quantitative microstructural analysis was performed to determine the density of carbides on boundaries. Our results are discussed on the basis of general tendencies which were reported for grain boundaries in the literature.     

硫含量对极低屈服点钢组织与性能的影响

摘要：采用Gleeble 3800热模拟试验机、OM、TEM与Vickers 硬度计,研究了不同变形温度下S含量对极低屈服点钢析出相、晶粒尺寸与硬度的影响;结合拉伸和冲击试验考察了S含量对实验室试轧钢板力学性能的影响。结果表明,不同变形温度下,当S质量分数由0.0018%提高至0.0077%,钢中晶粒尺寸发生粗化,硬度降低,析出相的主要类型由TiC变为Ti4C2S2和TiS,析出粒子的尺寸随之增大,分布数量减小。S质量分数为0.0077%的试轧钢板较S质量分数为0.0018%的试轧钢板具有更低的屈服强度且塑韧性并未降低,其综合力学性能更优且完全满足极低屈服点钢的要求。     

Effect of Nitrogen Content on Grain Refinement and Mechanical Properties of a Reversion-Treated Ni-Free 18Cr-12Mn Austenitic Stainless Steel

Martensite reversion treatment was utilized to obtain ultrafine grain size in Fe-18Cr-12Mn-N stainless steels containing 0 to 0.44 wt pct N. This was achieved by cold rolling to 80 pct reduction followed by reversion annealing at temperatures between 973 K and 1173 K (700 °C and 900 °C) for 1 to 10⁴ seconds. The microstructural evolution was characterized using both transmission and scanning electron microscopes, and mechanical properties were evaluated using hardness and tensile tests. The steel without nitrogen had a duplex ferritic-austenitic structure and the grain size refinement remained inefficient. The finest austenitic microstructure was achieved in the steels with 0.25 and 0.36 wt pct N following annealing at 1173 K (900 °C) for 100 seconds, resulting in average grain sizes of about 0.240 ± 0.117 and 0.217 ± 0.73 µm, respectively. Nano-size Cr₂N precipitates observed in the microstructure were responsible for retarding the grain growth. The reversion mechanism was found to be diffusion controlled in the N-free steel and shear controlled in the N-containing steels. Due to a low fraction of strain-induced martensite in cold rolled condition, the 0.44 wt pct N steel displayed relatively non-uniform, micron-scale grain structure after the same reversion treatment, but it still exhibited superior mechanical properties with a yield strength of 1324 MPa, tensile strength of 1467 MPa, and total elongation of 17 pct. While the high yield strength can be attributed to strengthening by nitrogen alloying, dislocation hardening, and slight grain refinement, the moderate strain-induced martensitic transformation taking place during tensile straining was responsible for enhancement in tensile strength and elongation.     

高性能电力铁塔角钢Q460TE的研究

对开发高性能电力铁塔角钢Q460TE进行了研究,并讨论了合金成分、终轧温度以及轧后冷却方式等对其组织性能的影响。结果表明：Al元素可以改善角钢的冲击韧性;轧后经强制冷却,其边部组织为回火索氏体,晶粒度等级约为9.5级,心部组织为铁素体+珠光体;热轧钢材的显微组织与性能随终轧温度的降低均得到较大幅度的改善,当终轧温度为852 ℃时,其屈服强度为540 MPa,抗拉强度为660 MPa,-40℃时的冲击功为172.9 J。     

Microstructure and Abrasive Wear Behavior of Medium Carbon Low Alloy Martensitic Abrasion Resistant Steel

The effect of processing parameters such as hot rolling and heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated for a new 0.27mass% C and Ni,Mo-free low alloy martensitic abrasion resistant steel.The three-body impact abrasive wear behavior was also analyzed.The results showed that two-step controlled rolling besides quenching at 880℃and tempering at 170℃could result in optimal mechanical property:the Brinell hardness,tensile strength,elongation and-40 ℃impact toughness were 531,1 530 MPa,11.8% and 58J,respectively.The microstructure was of fine lath martensite with little retained austenite.Three-body impact abrasive wear results showed that wear mechanism was mainly of plastic deformation fatigue when the impact energy was 2J, and the relative wear resistance was 1.04times higher than that of the same grade compared steel under the same working condition.The optimal hardness and toughness match was the main reason of higher wear resistance.     

Fatigue and Structural Changes of High Interstitial Stainless Austenitic Steels

Steels with 18 to 19 mass% Cr and Mn each were studied in the as‐cast condition containing 0.85 mass% C + N and in the elektro‐slag‐remelted and hot worked condition containing 0.96 mass% C + N after final solution annealing. The latter was also tested after 20% prestraining. The results of tensile tests were compared to those of rotating bending and push/pull loading. The higher C + N content raised the 0.2% proof strength to about 600 MPa of which 70% were retained as fatigue limit of rotating bending at 10⁷ cycles and a failure probability of 50%. Prestraining further improved this limit but lowered it in relation to the proof strength. The structural components of cold work hardening under unidirectional loading and cyclic loading were similar (planar slip, dislocation, twins and ε‐martensite) except for precipitates in the latter. Nitrides appeared in the austenite and carbides in the ε‐plates.     

螺纹钢盘条负偏差轧制与组织性能研究

对螺纹钢盘条负偏差轧制技术及控轧控冷对组织性能的影响进行了研究。结果表明：生产的螺纹钢盘条屈服强度平均值为498 MPa,抗拉强度平均值为615 MPa,伸长率平均值为24.11%,轧后螺纹钢盘条边部组织为回火索氏体,晶粒度为13.5级,心部组织为铁素体加珠光体,晶粒度为12.0级,淬透层深度为0.50 mm,该产品的...     

Influence of base composition on the strength of vanadium-microalloyed steel bars

In this work, the effect of base composition on the strength of hot-rolled V-microalloyed steel bars was studied. Industrial heats with a wide range of carbon contents from 0.15 to 0.3% and manganese contents from 0.65 to 1.3% in combination with V-microalloying up to 0.1%, were carried out. The grain size of the produced hot rolled steel bars was measured and the different strengthening mechanisms were analysed. Carbon and manganese were found to have pronounced effect on refining the microstructure. Vanadium-micraolloying up to 0.1% has a slight grain refinement. This slight grain refinement effect of vanadium decreases with increasing the carbon content. The strengthening potential of vanadium seems to be due to precipitation strengthening rather than grain refinement effect. Both carbon and manganese in combination with vanadium showed a significant effect on increasing the precipitation strengthening. The vanadiumprecipitation strengthening is correlated with carbon and manganese contents. Two modified equations are derived to predict the yield strength of hot-rolled steel bars, in terms of chemical composition and grain size or only chemical composition.     

薄带铸轧流程制备含钇3% Si取向硅钢的组织和织构研究

通过50 kg真空感应炉冶炼,用常规流程和薄带铸轧两种工艺分别在实验室制备了含稀土钇的3%Si取向硅钢。薄带铸轧浇注温度1530℃,轧制速率0.3 m/s,铸带厚度2.5 mm。常规流程为80 mm铸坯加热温度1150℃,热轧板厚度2.4 mm,终轧温度935℃。采用扫描电镜(SEM)和电子探针(EPMA)研究了钢中夹杂物成分、形貌、数量、尺寸和分布;利用光学显微镜(OM)和电子背散射衍射(EBSD)分析了硅钢铸带、热轧板、0.3 mm冷轧板、870℃7 min和1100℃10 min再结晶退火板组织和织构。实验结果表明：与常规流程相比,薄带铸轧硅钢一次再结晶后晶粒较细小,且γ织构强度达到17,但是二次再结晶后晶粒尺寸不均匀,平均晶粒尺寸为61μm,部分Goss取向晶粒尺寸达到1 mm以上。原因为细小的含钇夹杂物数量过多,且分布不均匀,夹杂物聚集的区域晶粒长大受到明显抑制。常规流程生产的含钇硅钢二次再结晶热处理后晶粒均匀长大,平均晶粒尺寸为102μm,没有形成明显的Goss织构。     

Recrystallization kinetics of an austenitic high-manganese steel subjected to severe plastic deformation

The evolution of the microstructure and the properties of an austenitic high-manganese steel subjected to severe deformation by cold rolling and subsequent recrystallization annealing is investigated. Cold rolling is accompanied by mechanical structural twinning and shear banding. The microhardness and microstructural analysis of annealed samples are used to study the recrystallization kinetics of the high-manganese steel. It is shown that large plastic deformation and subsequent annealing result in rapid development of recrystallization processes and the formation of an ultrafine-grained structure. A completely recrystallized structure with an average grain size of 0.64 μm forms after 30-min annealing at a temperature of 550°C. No significant structural changes are observed when the annealing time increases to 18 h, which indicates stability of the recrystallized microstructure. The steel cold rolled to 90% and annealed at 550°C for 30 min demonstrates very high strength properties: the yield strength and the tensile strength achieve 650 and 850MPa, respectively. The dependence of the strength properties of the steel on the grain size formed after rolling and recrystallization annealing is described by the Hall–Petch relation.     

Preparation of Diversified Ultra‐Fine Microstructures in Q345 Steel with Improved Properties

A typical C‐Mn steel (Q345) with warm‐rolled ferrite/pearlite was used for subsequent simple process resulting in ultrafine ferrite grains in size of ～1µm. No remarkable strain hardening was detected and grain boundary motion was also recognized as an important accompanying deformation mechanisms at the beginning of yielding. However, strain‐hardening capability of this C‐Mn steel could be improved by changing the ultrafine ferrite/pearlite into acicular ferrite with increment of strength.     

600 MPa级热轧双相钢组织与性能优化分析

 通过热轧厂实际生产试制,研究了钛、铌微合金元素对600 MPa级低成本低温卷取型铁素体/马氏体双相钢组织和性能的影响,并与同强度级别中温卷取双相钢进行对比。研究结果表明,沿晶界分布的纳米级（Nb,Ti）C第二相显著细化了铁素体/马氏体两相组织,由此解决了不含钛、铌元素的低温卷取双相钢马氏体岛粗大的问题,提高其强度和塑性。此外,试制生产对比发现,中温卷取双相钢存在晶粒尺寸较粗,马氏体体积分数较少,强度相对略低等特征,并提出了相应的热轧工艺改进思路。     

Strain-path effects on the evolution of microstructure and texture during the severe-plastic deformation of aluminum

Microstructure and texture evolution during the severe-plastic deformation (SPD) of unalloyed aluminum were investigated to establish the effect of processing route and purity level on grain refinement and subgrain formation. Two lots of aluminum with different purity levels (99.998 pct Al and 99 pct Al) were subjected to large plastic strains at room temperaturevia four different deformation processes: equal-channel angular extrusion (ECAE), sheet rolling, conventional conical-die extrusion, and uniaxial compression. Following deformation, microstructures and textures were determined using orientation-imaging microscopy. In commercial-purity aluminum, the various deformation routes yielded an ultrafine microstructure with a ∼1.5-μm grain size, deduced to have been formedvia a dynamic-recovery mechanism. For high-purity aluminum, on the other hand, the minimum grain size produced after the various routes was ∼20 μm; the high fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) and the absence of subgrains/deformation bands in the final microstructure suggested the occurrence of discontinuous static recrystallization following the large plastic deformation at room temperature. The microstructure differences were underscored by the mechanical properties following four ECAE passes. The yield strength of commercial-purity aluminum quadrupled, whereas the high-purity aluminum showed only a minor increase relative to the annealed condition.