Macro to nanoscale deformation of transformation-induced plasticity steels: Impact of aluminum on the microstructure and deformation behavior

This work aims to elucidate the impact of aluminum-content on microstructure and deformation mechanisms of transformation-induced plasticity(TRIP) steels through macroscale and nanoscale deformation experiments combined with post-mortem electron microscopy of the deformed region.The solid-state transformation-induced mechanical deformation varied with the Al contents,and influenced tensile strength-ductility combination.Steels with 2–4 wt% Al were characterized by TRIP effect.In contrast to 2 Al-TRIP and 4 Al-TRIP steels,twinning-induced plasticity(TWIP) was also observed in conjunction with strain-induced martensite in 6 Al-TRIP steel.This behavior is attributed to the increase in stacking fault energy with the increase of Al content and stability of austenite,which depends on the local chemical variation.The study addresses the knowledge gap with regard to the effect of Al content on austenite stability in medium-Mn TRIP steels.This combination is expected to potentially enable cost-effective alloy design with high strength-high ductility condition.     

Influence of silicon,aluminium, phosphorus and boron on hot ductility of TRansformation Induced Plasticity assisted steels

Abstract

The hot ductility of steels having high aluminium or phosphorus contents, which are currently being considered as possible replacements for the conventional high silicon TRansformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel, has been examined. Tensile specimens were cast in situ and tested in the temperature range 750 - 1000 ° C at a strain rate of 3 × 10^-3 s^-1. The ductility trough for the conventional high silicon TRIP steel was controlled by the austenite - ferrite transformation, intergranular failure occurring when a thin band of the softer ferrite phase formed around the austenite grains. Void formation at the sulphides situated in the soft ferrite at the boundaries then occurred, and the strain concentrated locally there. The thin bands of ferrite were deformation induced and, as such, formed at temperatures above Ar ₃ and could form at as high a temperature as Ae ₃. Adding ferrite formers such as silicon, phosphorus and aluminium increased the Ae ₃ temperature and thus widened the trough. The high aluminium (2%) TRIP steel exhibited good ductility throughout the temperature range examined, since large amounts of ferrite were always present, preventing strain concentration, and the AlN particles were too coarse to influence the hot ductility. In contrast, the 1%Al containing steel gave poor ductility below 850 ° C, the band of strain induced ferrite being extremely thin. The ductility trough in the titanium containing high phosphorus steel was poor, owing to fine precipitation of TiN. Adding boron to the steel and reducing the manganese content from 1.4 to 1% resulted in better ductility. Generally, the TRIP type steels had superior ductility to the conventional niobium containing high strength low alloy steel.     

Evolution of microstructures of galvanised and galvannealed coatings formed in 0·2 wt-% aluminium–zinc bath

Abstract

The present investigation examines the evolution of the microstructures of galvanised steel during the galvannealing process with a special reference to the formation and breakdown behaviour of aluminium rich inhibition layer at the substrate/coating interface. The interstitial free steel was galvanised in a molten zinc bath with 0·2 wt-% aluminium content. The bath temperature and strip entry temperatures were 460 and 480°C respectively. Aluminium of 0·2 wt-% was chosen to retard the formation of iron–zinc intermetallic compounds in the coating. The as dipped galvanised interstitial free steel was annealed above the melting point of zinc in a salt bath at 480°C for a period ranging from 1 to 60 s. After annealing, the as galvanised coatings exhibited microstructural changes as a function of test time. The present work highlights the possible mechanisms of nucleation of iron–zinc intermetallic compounds during galvannealing treatment of steel galvanised in aluminium containing zinc bath.     

Hot ductility behaviour of high manganese steels with varying aluminium contents

The influence of aluminium on the hot ductility of high manganese steels between 700°C and Tliq has been examined, using the hot tensile test machine. Five materials with 17?wt-% [Mn], 0.3?wt-% [C] and 0–8?wt-% [Al] were cast. To detect the cause of cracking, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis of the fracture surfaces have been conducted and compared to thermodynamic modelling. By adding more than 3?wt-% [Al] the fully austenitic structure changed to a two-phase structure (δ-Fe, γ-Fe). In case of the one- and also two-phase structured materials two regions of lower ductility (<30% RA) are present. Complex (AlN) and Mn(S,Se) precipitates were formed with different cores in dependence of the [Al] content.     

Influence of phosphorus on the hot ductility of 2.25Cr1Mo steel

Abstract

The effect of phosphorus at two levels (0.01 and 0.06 wt-%) on the hot ductility of 2.25Cr1Mo steel has been investigated over the temperature range 700-1200 °C using a Gleeble machine. Auger electron spectroscopy indicated that phosphorus segregation to austenite grain boundaries had occurred in the higher phosphorus steel. A trough in the ductility - temperature curve was observed for both steels with the minimum ductility occurring at about 750 °C. The higher P containing steel gave the worst ductility throughout the temperature range examined. The ductility trough was caused by the formation of a thin pro-eutectoid ferrite layer along austenite grain boundaries, and this trough was accentuated by the presence of phosphorus at the austenite grain boundaries.     

Design of an effective heat treatment involving intercritical hardening for high-strength–high elongation of 0.2C–1.5Al–(6–8.5)Mn-Fe TRIP steels: microstructural evolution and deformation behaviour

ABSTRACT

We propose an effective heat treatment involving a combination of intercritical hardening and tempering to obtain high strength–high ductility in hot-rolled 0.2C–1.5Al–(6–8.5)Mn–Fe transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels. An excellent combination of high ultimate tensile strength of 1045–1380?MPa and total elongation of 34–39% was obtained when the steels were subjected to intercritical hardening at 630–650?°C and tempered at 200?°C. Intercritical hardening impacted the co-existence of austenite, ferrite and martensite, such that the deformation behaviour varied with the Mn content. The excellent properties of the steels were attributed to cumulative contribution of enhanced TRIP effect of austenite and ferrite and martensite constituents. The discontinuous TRIP e?ect during tensile deformation involves stress relaxation and led to consequent enhancement of ductility.     

Simplification of heat treatment process in a tool steel by aluminium addition

A novel concept for simplification of heat treatment process in a tool steel by the addition of aluminium has been proposed in this research. The addition of 1.08?wt-% aluminium leads to an approximately fully pearlitic state, of which the cementite lamellae are largely spheroidised. Excessive addition of 1.58?wt-% aluminium would result in the formation of a large amount of δ-ferrite. These results are mainly attributed to the synthetic effect of aluminium on the driving force of pearlite transformation and the inter-spacing distance between the proeutectoid carbides. The mechanical properties’ analyses show that aluminium has promising potential to substantially simplify the processing method for developing a relative low-cost mould steel without the concomitant mechanical properties’ reductions.     

Deformation behaviour of a low carbon high Mn TWIP/TRIP steel

TWIP and TRIP phenomena have been observed in Fe–20Mn–2.5Si–0.3Al–0.06C (wt-%) steel during cold deformation (CD). Mostly austenite, annealing twins and stacking faults are observed in hot rolled solution treated (HRACST) samples. Cold deformation results in γ→?→α′ transformation due to its low stacking fault energy (18?mJ?m^?2). 50CD (50% CD) sample reveals strong Goss, Brass and weak Copper Twin texture components due to slipping and micro-twinning. Maximum ductility of 62% with lower tensile strength is perceived in HRACST sample, whereas, 30CD sample shows excellent tensile strength (1039?MPa) with a lower ductility (23%). Premature failure in 50CD samples is related to the formation of α′-martensite (≈35%) and deformation twins along with a higher strain hardening due to low Al content.     

Effect of silicon and aluminium in ferrite on tensile and impact properties

Two ferritic interstitial-free steels with approximately the same amount of solid solution strengthening by addition of 2?wt-% silicon and 4?wt-% aluminium are investigated using quasi-static tensile and dynamic impact tests. The addition of 2?wt-% silicon (2Si) results in brittle fracture in V-notched Charpy impact tests at ambient temperature, whilst the 4?wt-% aluminium-containing (4Al) steel has high absorbed energy of 320?±?12?J?cm^?2. In addition, the 4Al steel has a ductile-to-brittle-transition temperature (DBTT) ～60°C lower than the 2Si steel. It is proposed that the addition of silicon suppresses dislocation cross-slip at high strain rate and is responsible for the observed cleavage fracture and high DBTT in the 2Si steel. The ease of dislocation slip in the 4Al steel increases the impact toughness.     

Effect of heating temperature and magnesium content on the thermal cyclic failure behaviour of ductile irons

Abstract

This study elucidates the effect of residual magnesium content and heating temperature on the thermal cyclic failure behaviour of ductile irons by applying repeated heating and cooling cycles. Five irons with different residual magnesium contents ranging from 0.038 to 0.066 wt-% were obtained by controlling the amount of nodulariser additions. The thermal fatigue cracking behaviour was investigated during thermal cycling from 25°C to 650, 700, 750, and 800°C, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the thermal fatigue cracking resistance of ductile iron decreases with increasing residual magnesium content. The maximum heating temperatures of 700°C and 750°C led to the most severe thermal fatigue cracking in the specimens containing 0.054 wt-% and 0.060 wt-% residual magnesium content. Recrystallisation of ferrite grain occurred when the thermal cycles exceeded a certain number after testing at 800°C, which deferred the initiation of thermal fatigue cracking.     

Creep crack growth rate predictions in 316H steel using stress dependent creep ductility

Abstract

Short and long term trends in creep crack growth (CCG) rate data over test times of 500–30?000 h are available for Austenitic Type 316H stainless steel at 550°C using compact tension, C(T), specimens. The relationship between CCG rate and its dependence on creep ductility, strain rate and plastic strain levels has been examined. Uniaxial creep data from a number of batches of 316H stainless steel, over the temperature range 550–750°C, have been collected and analysed. Power-law correlations have been determined between the creep ductility, creep rupture times and average creep strain rate data with stress σ normalised by flow stress σ_0·2 over the range 0·2<σ/σ_0·2<3 for uniaxial creep tests times between 100 and 100?000 h. Creep ductility exhibits upper shelf and lower shelf values which are joined by a stress dependent transition region. The creep strain rate and creep rupture exponents have been correlated with stress using a two-stage power-law fit over the stress range 0·2<σ/σ_0·2<3 for temperatures between 550 and 750°C, where it is known that power-law creep dominates. For temperature and stress ranges where no data are currently available, the data trend lines have been extrapolated to provide predictions over the full stress range. A stress dependent creep ductility and strain rate model has been implemented in a ductility exhaustion constraint based damage model using finite element (FE) analysis to predict CCG rates in 316H stainless steel at 550°C. The predicted CCG results are compared to analytical constant creep ductility CCG models (termed NSW models), assuming both plane stress and plane strain conditions, and validated against long and short term CCG test data at 550°C. Good agreement has been found between the FE predicted CCG trends and the available experimental data over a wide stress range although it has been shown that upper-bound NSW plane strain predictions for long term tests are overly conservative.     

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of 316H weld metal during aging

ABSTRACT

A standard 316H welding wire was used to obtain 6% δ-ferrite in the weld metal by the automatic tungsten inert gas welding. The effect of aging time at 750°C on microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld metal were analysed. The results showed that as the aging time increased, the δ-ferrite fraction decreased, and finally, δ-ferrite was no longer seen, the M₂₃C₆ fraction first increased and then decreased, and the σ phase fraction increased. Finally, the fractions of M₂₃C₆ and σ phase kept stable, but the size increased. Accordingly, as the aging time increased, the yield and tensile strengths first decreased significantly, then increased obviously and finally decreased slightly again, while the elongation and impact energy decreased all the time.     

Precipitation behavior of high-Nb containing modified HR3C heat-resistant steels during isothermal aging

The effect of Cr content on microstructural stability of the modified high-Nb content HR3C austenitic heat-resistant steel has been investigated during thermal aging at 700°C. It was observed that the σ phase precipitated in the 23.5Cr–18Ni–1.7Nb–0.04C–0.1N (wt.%) steel after aging treatment. However, the σ phase was not observed throughout the aging up to 5000?h as the Cr content was reduced from 23.5 to 21.5?wt-%. Experimental results showed that the yield strength of steel with 23.5?wt-% Cr at room temperature increased from 261 to 492?MPa after aging for 5000?h. The strengthening is closely related to the precipitation of σ phase at early stage of aging (500–2000?h). The influence of alloying elements on the formation of σ phase is discussed.     

Low density steel 1·2C–1·5Cr–5Al designed for bearings

Abstract

A novel alloy design, designated as 1·2C–1·5Cr–5Al, has been proposed with high aluminium(～5 wt-%) and more carbon(～1·2 wt-%) addition into the classical 1C–1·5Cr bearing steel for lowering density and improving performance simultaneously, which is approximate 8 wt-% lighter than convention. In order to understand preliminarily the suitability of the novel alloy for bearing application, the martensite starting temperature and hardness, related to microstructure evolution and mechanical properties, respectively, after partial austenitisation treatment with undissolved carbides have been investigated carefully. The martensite starting temperature is comparable with conventional 1C–1·5Cr alloy. The hardness of 860±3 HV20 achieved is much higher than convention.     

Phase separation reactions in Ti–50V alloys

Abstract

Phase transformations in Ti–50V alloys containing oxygen in the range <0·095–0·36 wt-% have been studied at 750 and 400°C for times up to 1000 h. Results of electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and hardness testing indicate that oxygen widens the α+β phase field at 750°C and the metastable β phase miscibility gap at 400°C. The evidence is consistent with a phase diagram for high purity Ti–V alloys containing a stable α+β phase field with a β transus decreasing with increasing vanadium content. No evidence was obtained consistent with a β monotectoid form of diagram which has recently been proposed.

MST/1039     

Continuous cooling transformation behaviour of Si–Mn and Al–Mn transformation induced plasticity steels

Abstract

The continuous cooling transformation (CCT) behaviour of two transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steels was investigated using quench dilatometry. One was an established steel grade with a composition (wt-%) of Fe–0·2C–2Si–1·5Mn while the other steel was a novel composition where 2 wt-% Al replaced the silicon in the former grade. Characteristics of the α→γ transformation during reheating and the subsequent decomposition of austenite during continuous cooling were studied by dilatometry, and CCT diagrams were constructed for both steels. The effects of accelerated cooling and steel composition on γ transformation start temperature Ar ₃, phase transformation kinetics, and microhardness were investigated. The results showed that the Al–Mn steel had a much wider α→γ transformation range during reheating, compared with the Si–Mn steel. Furthermore, the Al–Mn steel exhibited no significant change in the rate of expansion during α→γ transformation. On the other hand, during continuous cooling, the Al–Mn steel exhibited higher Ar ₃, faster transformation kinetics, a higher volume fraction of polygonal ferrite in the microstructure, and lower hardness, compared with the Si–Mn steel. The addition of aluminium was found to have a significant effect on the products of phase transformation, kinetics, and form of the CCT diagram. For both steels, an increase in cooling rate lowered the Ar ₃ temperature, decreased the time of transformation, and increased the hardness.     

Effect of gaseous hydrogen charging on the tensile properties of standard and medium Mn X70 pipeline steels

The tensile properties of two X70 steels with high (1.14 wt-%) and medium (0.5 wt-%) Mn contents have been investigated by testing at 25°C of tubular specimens charged with an internal gas pressure of 10?MPa of hydrogen or argon. The hydrogen-charged samples were additionally tested at 50 and 100°C. Tensile testing showed that the equiaxed ferrite–pearlite microstructure of higher Mn steel was most sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement and that the banded ferrite–pearlite microstructure of the higher Mn strip was more susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement than the medium Mn strip. The more highly banded ferrite–pearlite microstructure in the higher Mn steel provided numerous sites for concentration of hydrogen to levels that promoted crack initiation and growth. Test temperatures up to 100°C reduced the yield and tensile strengths, increased the total elongation and decreased the extent of hydrogen embrittlement because of enhanced dislocation mobility and less effective hydrogen trapping.     

Properties,processability and weldability of a novel affordable creep resistant nickel base superalloy

Abstract

A recently designed heat resistant alloy for operation ～750°C in power plant, named FT750_DC, of composition Ni–20Cr–5Fe–3·5W–2·3Al–2·1Ti–0·07C–0·4Si–0·005B (wt-%), is fully characterised. Creep rupture and damage is investigated, as well as Charpy impact toughness. The alloy processability is also assessed: castability (comparison between measured microsegregation and Scheil simulation), forgeability (hot tensile ductility, strain hardening and recrystallisation behaviour), γ′ aging heat treatment (gamma-prime precipitation kinetics) and weldability (GTAW/TIG). It is demonstrated that this material, made affordable by avoiding the use of expensive alloying elements, with a creep rupture life in excess of 100 000 h at 750°C under 100 MPa, is easily castable, forgeable and weldable. It can therefore be favourably compared to concurrent alloys for fossil fuel or nuclear power plant applications (like the coal fired ultra supercritical steam power plant, or the nuclear high temperature gas cooled reactor) currently under assessment, such as alloys 230, 617, 625, 740, HX, etc.     

Stabilisation of ferrite in hot rolled δ-TRIP steel

Abstract

A steel has recently been designed to benefit from the deformation induced transformation of retained austenite present in association with bainitic ferrite. It has as its major microstructural component, dendrites of δ-ferrite introduced during solidification. The δ-ferrite replaces the allotriomorphic ferrite present in conventional alloys of this kind. The authors examine here the stability of this δ-ferrite during heating into a temperature range typical of hot rolling conditions. It is found that contrary to expectations from calculated phase diagrams, the steel becomes fully austenitic under these conditions and that a better balance of ferrite promoting solutes is necessary in order to stabilise the dendritic structure. New alloys are designed for this purpose and are found suitable for hot rolling in the two-phase field over the temperature range 900–1200°C.     

Grain boundary fracture in Al–Li alloys

Abstract

In order to determine independently the roles of grain boundary (GB) δ-precipitates and shearable matrix δ′-precipitates in promoting low ductility in Al-Li alloys, three sets of samples of Al–10·7 at.-%Li–0·22 at.-%Mn were aged at 177°C, and the single edge notch slow bend Charpy toughnesses and yield strengths were determined. The first set of samples was from the as-quenched alloy, while the second and third were those previously peak aged, or overaged, and then reverted at 330°C to redissolve the matrix δ′ while leaving the GB δ. The results showed that the retained GB δ played a prominent role in promoting GB fracture, even in the absence of δ′. Comparison with high-strength AA 7375 aluminium alloy and with a γ/γ′ nickel-base superalloy either with or without GB carbides strongly supports the crucial role of GB precipitates in controlling ductility.

MST/482