汽车用齿轮钢奥氏体晶粒长大与第二相粒子控制技术研究进展

伴随着全球双碳政策的实施,节能减排成为汽车制造业发展的首要目标之一.汽车用齿轮钢采用的更高温度结合更短时间的渗碳工艺是目前各齿轮生产企业最为直接的降碳措施,但齿轮钢在高温渗碳生产过程中却时常发生奥氏体晶粒异常粗大的问题,且渗碳温度越高混晶现象越严重.因此,各企业对齿轮钢进行微合金化,通过添加微合金元素在加热过程中析出第二相粒子产生钉扎作用来阻碍奥氏体晶粒异常长大,从而需要对复杂的齿轮钢奥氏体晶粒长大与第二相粒子析出机制进行研究.通过对奥氏体晶粒度、奥氏体晶粒长大机制及模型、第二相粒子(Nb(C,N)/AlN)对奥氏体晶界移动的钉扎作用及模型、以及加热温度与保温时间对奥氏体晶粒长大和第二相粒子钉扎作用的影响等进行了文献综述,阐明了奥氏体晶粒长大规律、第二相粒子的控制方法与抑制奥氏体晶粒长大的钉扎机制,为高质量齿轮钢的生产提供参考.     

AlN和Zr微合金化对齿轮钢热塑性及渗碳处理晶粒度的影响

齿轮钢渗碳过程常采用AlN控制奥氏体晶粒长大，然而，AlN大量析出将恶化其热塑性和裂纹敏感性，且1 050℃高温渗碳时AlN回溶，钉扎作用减弱。通过设计不同AlN浓度积([%Al][%N])以及Zr微合金化的钢种，研究AlN和Zr微合金化对于20Cr系齿轮钢热塑性和渗碳处理奥氏体晶粒长大行为的影响，结果表明：对于20Cr系齿轮钢，提高AlN浓度积会使其热塑性恶化，塑性低谷(750～900℃)向高温区移动。而渗碳过程钢中AlN浓度积较低或Ostwald熟化现象，均会减弱AlN的钉扎晶界效果。因此，将钢中的[%Al][%N]控制在2.9×10^-4～5.1×10^-4之间偏下限控制较为合适。此外，齿轮钢中的Zr在凝固过程中会优先析出粗大的Zr(C,N)，而造成AlN析出量减少，削弱钉扎晶界的效果。故需要对N元素含量进行控制，避免粗大高温析出相的出现对AlN造成影响。     

连铸高铝氮积齿轮钢第三脆性区形成机制与控制

钢中的Al、N含量对连铸及其后续加工热塑性和奥氏体晶粒度控制有重要影响,这也是高温渗碳钢与各种Al脱氧钢广泛关注的问题。使用Gleeble 3800热/力学模拟试验机测定了一种轨道交通用高铝氮积齿轮钢(SCM420H)的高温热塑性,并结合差示扫描量热仪(DSC)分析、AlN析出热力学模型以及Schwerdtfeger热塑性特征值计算模型揭示了其第三脆性区的形成机制与调控途径。结果表明,高铝氮积齿轮钢第三脆性区低谷温度范围为750~850 ℃,这是由应力诱导先共析铁素体膜的产生与AlN粒子的大量析出共同导致的。Schwerdtfeger热塑性特征值计算模型可以较准确地预测高铝氮积齿轮钢第三脆性区的上限温度与最小面缩率,但由其预测的热塑性曲线下限温度偏高,应进一步考虑先共析铁素体膜析出的影响,并依据Ar3温度对其进行修正。高Al高N齿轮钢第三脆性区的下限温度取决于其先共析铁素体开始析出温度,主要与钢种成分和铸坯冷却速率相关,连铸生产中可控性有限;但其上限温度则与铸坯应变速率、冷却速率以及钢中的Al、N含量和AlN析出行为均有关联,调控空间较大,应该是连铸生产中合理控制铸坯热塑性与表面裂纹倾向的正确途径。     

连铸高铝氮积齿轮钢第三脆性区形成机制与控制

钢中的Al、N含量对连铸及其后续加工热塑性和奥氏体晶粒度控制有重要影响,这也是高温渗碳钢与各种Al脱氧钢广泛关注的问题。使用Gleeble 3800热/力学模拟试验机测定了一种轨道交通用高铝氮积齿轮钢(SCM420H)的高温热塑性,并结合差示扫描量热仪(DSC)分析、AlN析出热力学模型以及Schwerdtfeger热塑性特征值计算模型揭示了其第三脆性区的形成机制与调控途径。结果表明,高铝氮积齿轮钢第三脆性区低谷温度范围为750~850 ℃,这是由应力诱导先共析铁素体膜的产生与AlN粒子的大量析出共同导致的。Schwerdtfeger热塑性特征值计算模型可以较准确地预测高铝氮积齿轮钢第三脆性区的上限温度与最小面缩率,但由其预测的热塑性曲线下限温度偏高,应进一步考虑先共析铁素体膜析出的影响,并依据Ar3温度对其进行修正。高Al高N齿轮钢第三脆性区的下限温度取决于其先共析铁素体开始析出温度,主要与钢种成分和铸坯冷却速率相关,连铸生产中可控性有限;但其上限温度则与铸坯应变速率、冷却速率以及钢中的Al、N含量和AlN析出行为均有关联,调控空间较大,应该是连铸生产中合理控制铸坯热塑性与表面裂纹倾向的正确途径。     

铝氮比对轿车用渗碳钢晶粒混晶的影响

在转炉长流程生产工艺条件下,研究了铝含量、氮含量和铝氮比对轿车用20Mn Cr5渗碳钢晶粒度混晶的影响。结果表明,在规定的热处理工艺条件下,20Mn Cr5渗碳齿轮钢产生混晶的主要原因是钢中氮含量偏低。当20Mn Cr5钢中铝含量≥0.025%且铝氮比≥3时,可以达到轿车渗碳钢对奥氏体晶粒度的要求。     

Nb微合金化对齿轮钢高温渗碳奥氏体晶粒度的影响

摘要：通过Nb微合金化提高渗碳温度是当前发展高端齿轮钢的重要思路。以20Cr钢为基准成分,通过实验室熔炼、锻造以及977~1134℃范围内高温伪渗碳实验,研究了0.02%、0.04%、0.06%、0.08%等不同Nb质量分数下渗碳后的奥氏体晶粒结构。在此基础上,依据热力学计算及析出颗粒熟化模型,对AlN、Nb(C,N)颗粒的钉扎强度进行估算并与晶粒尺寸建立联系,得到了适用于含Al、Nb齿轮钢的奥氏体晶粒度控制预测模型。最后,依据此模型分析了Nb含量对20Cr钢渗碳温度的影响,并基于高温渗碳目标提出了Nb微合金化的成分建议。     

高温渗碳齿轮钢的晶粒粗化行为

  为了开发适合980 ℃高温渗碳的齿轮钢，利用伪渗碳方法，研究了铌质量分数为0、0.036%、0.060%和0.100%的18Cr2Ni2Mo渗碳齿轮钢在930和980 ℃的晶粒粗化行为。结果表明，由于析出NbC钉扎晶界，铌微合金化可以显著细化试验钢在930和980 ℃奥氏体化后的晶粒尺寸，且随着铌质量分数增加，铌微合金化明显抑制试验钢在980 ℃长时间奥氏体化晶粒粗化倾向。添加0.100%Nb的18Cr2Ni2Mo齿轮钢在980 ℃奥氏体化20 h后，平均晶粒尺寸仍然在26 μm左右，适合于980 ℃高温长时间渗碳。     

TSCR工艺生产SPHC板过程硼微合金化对AlN、MnS析出的影响

 结合TSCR工艺生产SPHC钢热轧板过程,对微量B影响AlN、MnS的析出行为进行了试验研究与热力学分析,理论分析与热轧板在线取样的相分析结果能很好地吻合。结果表明高温时B优先于Al与N结合生成粗大的BN粒子(约900 nm),有效降低了热轧过程细小而弥散的AlN析出量,同时BN依附MnS析出而粗化MnS粒子,减弱了细小弥散析出粒子对奥氏体晶界钉扎以及相变后铁素体晶粒长大的抑制作用。     

氮对含铈A517Gr.Q钢组织及性能影响

首先利用Thermo-Calc软件计算了含氮、铈高强度海洋平台用钢A517Gr.Q析出相的理论组成,其次研究了氮对含铈实验钢组织及性能的优化效果。结果表明,含氮实验钢中有大量弥散分布的Nb(C,N),在实验钢中Ce和Nb、V、C、N发生交互作用,钉扎在奥氏体晶界,在奥氏体向铁素体转变时这些析出相可以阻止铁素体晶粒长大,使得相变后的组织细化,从而可以得到晶粒细小而均匀的组织,并最终使得实验钢的强度和韧性提高。经测试,增氮后的实验钢抗拉强度提升了15.2%,屈服强度提升了18.1%,冲击吸收功提升了6.9%。     

含铌齿轮钢的晶粒长大动力学

 利用金相试验方法和理论模型研究了几种Nb微合金化齿轮钢的奥氏体晶粒长大动力学。结果表明,试验钢中Nb含量分别为w(Nb)=0%、004%、006%和008%,奥氏体化温度在900~1 200 ℃范围,奥氏体化保温时间为15~600 min条件下,由于NbC颗粒的钉扎晶界作用,齿轮钢中添加微量Nb,可有效阻止奥氏体晶粒粗化,而且随Nb含量的增加,晶粒细化效果越明显。     

中锰马氏体NM500钢奥氏体晶粒长大行为

 中锰马氏体耐磨钢是一种新型的低成本高性能耐磨钢,揭示钢中奥氏体晶粒长大行为,并建立精确的预测模型,对其组织和性能的调控至关重要。利用Gleeble-3500型热模拟试验机、金相显微镜和透射电子显微镜等设备,系统研究了中锰马氏体NM500钢在不同加热温度和保温时间下的奥氏体晶粒长大行为,探讨了微合金第二相对奥氏体晶粒长大行为的影响。研究结果表明,加热温度对试验钢中奥氏体晶粒长大的影响明显大于保温时间,且试验钢中奥氏体晶粒长大行为受基体中V(C,N)粒子析出行为的影响,其可分为两个阶段。当加热温度小于950 ℃时,试验钢中存在大量未溶的纳米级球状和短棒状V(C,N)粒子,能够有效地钉扎奥氏体晶界,奥氏体晶粒长大缓慢;但当加热温度不低于950 ℃时,试验钢中V(C,N)粒子大量溶解和粗化。其中,加热温度为950 ℃、保温时间为60 min时,试验钢中V(C,N)粒子的体积分数仅为0.041%,平均粒径增大至45.78 nm。其对奥氏体晶粒的钉扎作用显著减低,且随着温度升高,原子扩散速度加快,奥氏体晶粒快速长大。基于Beck模型,建立了试验钢中奥氏体晶粒等温长大动力学模型,计算得到低温及高温阶段试验钢中奥氏体晶粒长大表观激活能分别为66.561 kg/mol和170.416 kJ/mol,且奥氏体晶粒的理论计算值与实测结果吻合较好。     

Development of microalloyed steels for high temperature carburizing

The potential for use of microalloy additions to suppress abnormal austenite grain growth and produce steels with enhanced bending fatigue resistance after high temperature vacuum carburizing was investigated in a series of Ti-modified SAE 8620 steels with w(niobium) additions up to 0.1%.Results are considered from a series of papers at the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center on the effects of Nb content,heating rate, rolling history,and processing temperature on the evolution of austenite grain structures in carburizing steels. Emphasis is placed on understanding the effects of alloying and processing on each stage in the annealing process including the as received laboratory rolled conditions,during the onset of carburizing after annealing at different heating rates,and after annealing for various times at carburizing temperatures up to 1 100℃.Heating rate to the carburizing temperature was shown to be an influential variable and suppression of abnormal grain growth was dependent on the development of a critical distribution of fine NbC precipitates,stable at the austenitizing temperature.The importance to industrial carburizing practice of heating rate effects on precipitates and austenite grain size evolution are discussed and correlated to selected data on fatigue performance.     

钛铌微合金化齿轮钢的奥氏体晶粒长大研究

 采用热模拟渗碳方法研究了Ti、Ti-Nb微合金化的20CrMnTi和20CrMnTiNb渗碳齿轮钢在930~1200℃的奥氏体晶粒长大规律。结果表明,添加0. 038%(质量分数,下同)的钛和0. 048%的铌的20CrMnTiNb钢中含有铌和钛的析出相,其粒子间距为0. 361μm;而含0. 054%的钛的20CrMnTi钢中仅含有较大尺寸的TiN析出相,粒子间距为0. 471μm,前者奥氏体晶粒粗化倾向明显低于后者。20CrMnTiNb钢经1000℃奥氏体化10h后奥氏体晶粒长大不明显,且无混晶现象,适合高温渗碳工艺。     

Microalloyed Steels for Heat Treating Applications at Higher Process Temperatures

The potential is considered for use of microalloyed bar steels,in conjunction with thermomechanical processing,to enhance the properties of steels heat treated at higher process temperatures than have been used historically.Two examples are highlighted:microalloyed spring steels with enhanced resistance to tempering and Nb-modified gear steels for high temperature vacuum carburizing,e.g.on the order of 1050℃ versus 930℃ for a typical gas carburizing operation.In the spring steel example,the Nb+V steel results in significantly finer prior austenite grain sizes than the other steels considered,enhanced fatigue performance,and improved toughness.In the Nb-modified carburizing steel,Nb additions up to 0.1 wt pct to a Ti-modified 8620 steel,in conjunction with thermomechanical processing to control initial precipitate distributions prior to carburizing,are shown to lead to materials with improved resistance to abnormal austenitic grain growth at the higher process temperatures.Alloy content and heating rate to the carburizing temperature were shown to be important variables and suppression of abnormal grain growth was correlated with the development of a critical distribution of fine NbC precipitates,stable at the austenitizing temperature leading to improved fatigue performance in steels with fine and uniform grain structures.Opportunities for extending the results of this study to alloy design and controlled rolling in bar mills are assessed.     

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Gear Steels After High Temperature Carburization

High temperature carburization is becoming more and more attractive because it can remarkably reduce processing time and increase productivity. However, the commonly used gear steels which are microalloyed by Al are not suitable for high temperature carburization due to abnormal grain coarsening. The gear steel 20CrMnTiNb, which is microalloyed with 0. 048% Nb and 0. 038% Ti, has been compared with the gear steel 20CrMn in terms of microstructure in the case of hardened layer and in the core after carburizing at 1000 °C for 4 h and mechanical properties after carburizing and pseudo-carburizing. The results indicate that the fine austenite grains exist in the carburized case of 20CrMnTiNb steel, while there is abnormal coarsening and duplex grain structure in the case and core of steel 20CrMn. The average prior austenite grain sizes are 19.5 and 34.2 μm for the steels 20CrMnTiNb and 20CrMn, respectively. In addition, the mechanical properties of 20CrMnTiNb steel are superior to those of 20CrMn steel. In particular, the HV hardness of the former is higher than that of the latter by about 40–70 in the range of less than 0.7 mm in depth. Therefore, the steel 20CrMnTiNb is suitable for high temperature carburization.     

Nb微合金化高碳钢奥氏体晶粒长大原位观察

摘要：以往研究表明Nb析出相钉扎和固溶Nb溶质拖曳作用共同阻碍奥氏体晶粒长大。采用高温共聚焦显微镜研究了Nb对一种高碳含Nb钢奥氏体晶粒长大的影响,对含Nb钢加热过程组织演变进行原位观察。结果表明,Nb在没有钉扎作用下（即高温条件下）仍能起到阻碍奥氏体晶粒长大的作用,该阻碍效果主要是固溶Nb的溶质拖曳作用引起的。采用2种模型对奥氏体晶粒长大行为进行拟合,给出了不同加热温度下Nb微合金化高碳钢的Beck长大方程,同时考虑到加热温度和保温时间的共同影响,根据原位观察结果得到实验钢的奥氏体晶粒长大动力学模型,该模型能够较准确地预测Nb微合金化高碳钢奥氏体晶粒长大行为。     

Austenite Grain Refinement and Isothermal Growth Behavior in a Low Carbon Vanadium Microalloyed Steel

The austenite grain refinement through control of the grain growth during reheating process after thermomechanical controlled process(TMCP)in a vanadium microalloyed steel was achieved.The formation of ultra-fine grained austenite was attributed to the high density of austenite nucleation at the ferrite/martensite structure and to the inhibition of austenite growth by(Ti,V)C particles at the relatively low reheating temperature.Corresponding with the precipitation behavior of(Ti,V)C with temperature,the growth behavior of austenite in the vanadium microalloyed steel could be divided into two regions.At lower reheating temperature,austenite grains grew slowly,and ultra-fine grained austenite smaller than 5μm was successfully obtained.By contrast,the austenite grains grew rapidly at high temperature due to the dissolution of(Ti,V)C particles.According to the measured and predicted results of austenite growth kinetics,two models were developed to describe the growth behavior of austenite grains in two different temperature regions,and the apparent activation energy Qappfor grain growth was estimated to be about 115 and 195kJ/mol,respectively.     

Ti微合金钢及其焊接粗晶区中的第二相粒子分析

利用萃取复型及金属薄膜电子显微技术对Ｔｉ微合金钢及其热影响区中的第二相粒子进行了分析,结果表明Ｔｉ微合金钢及其热影响区中的主要粒子为ＴｉＮ,此外还有少量ＡｌＮ等。经热循环后,粒子的尺寸明显增大、数量减少。与Ｔｉ、Ｎ含量比较高的钢相比,Ｔｉ／Ｎ较低的钢中ＴｉＮ粒子数量较多,尺寸较小,且热循环过程中ＴｉＮ粒子的溶解及粗化程度较小,对原始奥氏体晶粒长大的阻碍作用较大。