Solute carbon and nitrogen in the ferrite after continuous annealing of low carbon low aluminium steels

Low N_sol levels not only require reduced N contents (≤ 20 ppm) in steel but also Al/N ratios higher than 5 and C contents higher than 0.025% because of the synergic effect between N and C precipitations; scavenging of Al on nitrogen is far from complete even in steels coiled at 750°C. Low C_sol levels are achieved either at very lowC contents (C ≤ 0.003%) or at C contents higher than 0.025%. Due to high C_sol, carbon aging is expected in steels coiled at 750°C. Softer, bake hardenable steels with good aging resistance will be obtained in the range 0.025–0.030 % C independently of the coiling temperature. C supersaturation of the ferrite is reduced at higher cooling rates after continuous annealing. Changes in C and N supersaturation according to the steel composition and the continuous annealing process are explained, taking into account the carbides morphology and the annealing conditions.     

The effect of coiling temperature and continuous annealing on the properties of bake hardenable IF steels

Five bake hardenable IF steels were investigated. The transformation and recrystallization behaviour, the precipitation and the mechanical properties were studied. The coiling temperature was varied between 580 and 720°C. Soaking was carried out in a temperature range from 700 to 900°C and the soaking time ranged from 60 to 240 s. It was found that boron significantly retards transformation and recrystallization. The bake hardening is increased but deep drawability is lowered by boron additions. In the Ti-containing steels, TiS, Ti₄C₂S₂ and MnS precipitate competitively during the hot rolling process after reheating to 1250°C. To obtain a reasonable bake hardening effect, the amount of carbide forming elements should be substoichiometrical related to C.     

Characteristic properties of continuous annealed low-carbon low-aluminium steels

Continuous annealed low-carbon low-aluminium steel grades with good aging resistance and bake-hardenability were investigated. Taking into account the amounts of solute carbon and nitrogen in supersaturated ferrite it was tried to optimize the steel composition. Aging sensitivity depends mainly on solute nitrogen though the contribution to aging of solute carbon cannot be neglected. A reduced nitrogen aging requires a low nitrogen content (20 ppm) as well as Al/N ratios not lower than 5 and carbon contents higher than 0,025%. Both, low amounts of solute carbon and decrease of ferrite grain sizes of steels coiled at 650°C increase the effect of bake hardening. In comparison with aged steels the yield strength of overaged steels is conservative after baking. Bake-hardenable steels with good aging resistance are obtained in the carbon range 0,025 to 0,030%. Optimization according to the r?-value is not achieved in this range.     

TEM investigation of precipitation phenomena occurring in PH 15-5 alloy

The ageing of PH 15-5 alloy, previously quenched from 1050°C, is characterized by a hardness peak at 450°C, then by a softening and finally by a second increase in hardness from 650°C. TEM observations reveal the successive formation (between 450 and 650°C) of coherent precipitates (A and B types) which become respectively as rods (D) the growth directions of which have been determined and as partially coherent (C) globular precipitates. All these types of precipitates are enriched in copper. After tempering in temperatures higher than 650°C, new (E) precipitates are observed which are coherent at first, then become partially coherent after tempering at 750–850°C.     

Influence of thermomechanical treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of HSLA-100 steel plates

The influence of thermomechanical treatment (TMT), i.e., controlled rolling and direct quenching, as a function of rolling temperature and deformation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of HSLA-100 steel have been studied. The optical microstructure of the direct quenched (DQ) and tempered steel rooled at lower temperatures (800 °C and 900 °C) showed elongated and deformed grains, whereas complete equiaxed grains were visible after rolling at 1000 °C. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) microstructure of the 800 °C rooled DQ steel showed shorter, irregular, and closer martensite laths with extremely fine Cu and Nb(C,N) precipitates after tempering at 450 °C. The precipitates coarsened somewhat after tempering at 650 °C; the degree of coarsening was, however, less compared to that of the reheat-quenched (RQ) and tempered steel, indicating that the DQ steel was slightly more resistant to tempering. Similar to the RQ steel, at a 450 °C tempering condition, the DQ steel exhibited peak strength with extremely poor impact toughness. After tempering at 650 °C, the toughness of the DQ steel improved significantly, but at the expense of its strength. In general, the strength of the DQ and tempered steel was good and comparable to that of the RQ and tempered steel, although, its impact toughness was marginally less than the latter. The optimum combination of strength and toughness in the DQ steels was achieved after 900 °C rolling with 50 pct deformation, followed by direct quenching and tempering at 650 °C (yield strength (YS)=903 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS)=928 MPa, and Charpy V-notch (CVN) strength=143 J at −85 °C).     

热轧卷取温度对低硅无取向硅钢组织、织构及磁性能的影响#br#

基于常规流程制备无取向硅钢,研究了卷取温度对于0.9 %Si 无取向硅钢组织、织构和磁性能的影响。研究表明,650 ℃卷取后组织仍为细小的变形组织,最终退火板晶粒尺寸较小且不均匀。700 ℃和750 ℃卷取后,组织为尺寸较大且均匀的再结晶组织,最终退火板组织也较为均匀。卷取后退火板不利的γ fiber织构明显减弱,有利的λ fiber织构增强。随着卷取温度的升高,磁感显著提升,与未卷取时相比,750 ℃卷取后退火板平均磁感B50提高了0.013 T。     

Microstructure and properties of hot‐rolled high strength multiphase steels for automotive application

Effects of alloying with combinations of the elements Mo, Cr and B on the bainite transformation behaviour and microstructure of hot‐rolled high strength sheet steels microalloyed with mass contents of Ti and Nb, 0.05 or 0.15 % C and 1.5 % Mn have been studied. The relationships between microstructures formed in the steels coiled at various temperatures and their mechanical properties have been investigated. The 0.15 % C microalloyed steel alloyed with Mo,Cr and B with a complex bainitic microstructure was found to have distinctive high performance behaviour combining continuous yielding, high tensile strength and plasticity after coiling in a wide temperature region. The strain hardening of the micro‐constituents typical for the investigated steels has been analysed to have a better understanding of the mechanical properties of complex phase microstructures in low alloy ferrous alloys. It was found that bainitic ferrite with austenitemartensite islands as a second phase leads to high strength and adequate elongation. The features of the bainite formation in the Mo, Cr and B alloyed CMn steel microalloyed with Ti and Nb during slow cooling from temperatures between 650 and 550 °C was studied by dilatometry.     

Dependence of Accelerated Creep Rate at 580 °C and Room Temperature Yield Stress for Two Creep Resistant Steels

Two creep resistant steels, P91 and X20, were tempered for 17520 h at 650 °C or 8760 h at 750 °C to study the growth and redistribution of carbide precipitates in martensite. On specimens annealed for a different time, yield stress at room temperature and accelerated creep rate at 580 °C were determined. With increasing yield stress in the range from 350 to 650 MPa the accelerated creep rate decreased continuously by about 2 orders of magnitude from 8·10^?7 s^?1 to 5·10^?9 s^?1. For equal yield stress, the creep rate was slightly lower for the steel P91 than for the steel X20.     

Influence of tempering on the microstructure and mechanical properties of HSLA-100 steel plates

The influence of tempering on the microstructure and mechanical properties of HSLA-100 steel (with C-0.04, Mn-0.87, Cu-1.77, Cr-0.58, Mo-0.57, Ni-3.54, and Nb-.038 pct) has been studied. The plate samples were tempered from 300 °C to 700 °C for 1 hour after austenitizing and water quenching. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the as-quenched steel revealed a predominantly lath martensite structure along with fine precipitates of Cu and Nb(C, N). A very small amount of retained austenite could be seen in the lath boundaries in the quenched condition. Profuse precipitation of Cu could be noticed on tempering at 450 °C, which enhanced the strength of the steel significantly (yield strength (YS)—1168 MPa, and ultimate tensile strength (UTS)—1219 MPa), though at the cost of its notch toughness, which dropped to 37 and 14 J at 25 °C and −85 °C, respectively. The precipitates became considerably coarsened and elongated on tempering at 650 °C, resulting in a phenomenal rise in impact toughness (Charpy V-notch (CVN) of 196 and 149 J, respectively, at 25 °C and −85 °C) at the expense of YS and UTS. The best combination of strength and toughness has been obtained on tempering at 600 °C for 1 hour (YS-1015 MPa and UTS-1068 MPa, with 88 J at −85 °C).     

Effect of Ti Addition on Yield Strength of Low-Mo Fire-Resistant Steel at Elevated Temperatures

Herein, a series of low-Mo (0.2 wt%) fire-resistant steels with varying amounts of Ti (0.008–0.13 wt%) are investigated to study the effects of Ti on yield strength at elevated temperatures. At room temperature (RT), precipitation strengthening by nanoscale TiC precipitates is found to be the major factor for the enhanced strength. The amount of TiC precipitates and both the yield and tensile strengths increase monotonically with the Ti content. However, the yield strength ratio (YS at 600 °C divided by YS at RT) of the steel with the highest Ti content (0.13 wt%) is significantly reduced to 0.6. In contrast, the YS ratio of the steels with Ti content in the range of 0.008–0.087 wt% remains above 0.7 and increases with Ti content. The difference between the steels lies in the B content and the resultant bainite volume fraction. The steel with 0.13 wt% Ti does not contain B and has only 4% bainite, whereas the other steels contain 20 ppm B and approximately 60% bainite. Hence, a microstructure with a sufficient fraction of bainite is required to ensure strength at elevated temperatures. The properties can be further improved by Ti precipitation strengthening.     

Creep rupture and creep behaviour of martensitic X 18 CrMoVNb 11.1 type steel at elevated temperatures and after a temperature transient

Martensitic CrMoVNb 1.4914 type steel, which is at present being tested as a material for fuel element wrapper tubes, was subjected to tests in order to find out the impact on the original hardening and tempering strength of brief temperature rises up to 975°C. T-transients in the range between 800 and 900°C (20–36 min > A_c1b) do not exert a pronounced influence on creep-rupture strength; merely the times up to ≤ 1 % creep strain are clearly reduced, as is indicated by creep-rupture tests at 650°C. There is a more pronounced influence on creep rupture and creep behaviour if the transient extends into the 975°C region and is subsequently held in the range of 600–750°C, where transformation to the pearlite stage occurs. High creep stability is seen at holding temperatures of < 600 and > 400°C. The explanation is furnished by the findings obtained in isothermal creep-rupture tests above A_c1b (800–925°C). Extensive metallographic examination confirms the structural changes expected from the IT-diagram.     

High Strength and Retained Ductility Achieved in a Nitrided Strip Cast Nb-Microalloyed Steel

The current study investigates the strengthening of an Nb-microallyed CASTRIP^® steel at 798 K (525 °C) by nitriding in a KNO₃ salt bath. Nitriding up to 1 hour dramatically increased the yield strength of the steel by ~35 pct (from 475 to 645 MPa) with no sacrifice of ductility (~16 pct). Further nitriding led to brittle fracture. Hardness profiles of the nitrided steels through the thickness reveal hard surfaces and a relatively softer core. The hardening of the shell in the nitrided steels is thought to be the combined effect of solid solution strengthening from nitrogen and dispersion strengthening from clusters and precipitates. The retained ductility is attributed to the hard-shell–soft-core structure through nitriding.     

Carbide precipitation and high-temperature strength of hot-rolled high-strength,low-alloy steels containing Nb and Mo

The effects of a Mo addition on both the precipitation kinetics and high-temperature strength of a Nb carbide have been investigated in the hot-rolled high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steels containing both Nb and Mo. These steels were fabricated by four-pass hot rolling and coiling at 650°C, 600°C, and 550°C. Microstructural analysis of the carbides has been performed using field-emission gun transmission electron microscopy (TEM) employing energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The steels containing both Nb and Mo exhibited a higher strength at high temperatures (∼600 °C) in comparison to the steel containing only Nb. The addition of Mo increased the hardenability and led to the refinement of the bainitic microstructure. The proportion of the bainitic phase increased with the increase of Mo content. The TEM observations revealed that the steels containing both Nb and Mo exhibited fine (<10 nm) and uniformly distributed metal carbide (MC)-type carbides, while the carbides were coarse and sparsely distributed in the steels containing Nb only. The EDS analysis also indicated that the fine MC carbides contain both Nb and Mo, and the ratio of Mo/Nb was higher in the finer carbides. In addition, electron diffraction analysis revealed that most of the MC carbides had one variant of the B-N relationship ((100)_MC//(100)_ferrite, [011]_MC//[010]_ferrite) with the matrix, suggesting that they were formed in the ferrite region. That is, the addition of Mo increased the nucleation sites of MC carbides in addition to the bainitic transformation, which resulted in finer and denser MC carbides. It is, thus, believed that the enhanced high-temperature strength of the steels containing both Nb and Mo was attributed to both bainitic transformation hardening and the precipitation hardening caused by uniform distribution of fine MC particles.     

Stability of Ni3(Al,Ti) Gamma Prime Precipitates in a Nickel-Based Superalloy Inconel X-750 Under Heavy Ion Irradiation

Phase stability of Ni₃(Al, Ti) precipitates in Inconel X-750 under cascade damage was studied using heavy ion irradiation with transmission electron microscope (TEM) in situ observations. From 333 K to 673 K (60 °C to 400 °C), ordered Ni₃(Al, Ti) precipitates became completely disordered at low irradiation dose of 0.06 displacement per atom (dpa). At higher dose, a trend of precipitate dissolution occurring under disordered state was observed, which is due to the ballistic mixing effect by irradiation. However, at temperatures greater than 773 K (500 °C), the precipitates stayed ordered up to 5.4 dpa, supporting the view that irradiation-induced disordering/dissolution and thermal recovery reach a balance between 673 K and 773 K (400 °C and 500 °C). Effects of Ti/Al ratio and irradiation dose rate are also discussed.     

Threshold Stress Creep Behavior of Alloy 617 at Intermediate Temperatures

Creep of Alloy 617, a solid solution Ni-Cr-Mo alloy, was studied in the temperature range of 1023 K to 1273 K (750 °C to 1000 °C). Typical power-law creep behavior with a stress exponent of approximately 5 is observed at temperatures from 1073 K to 1273 K (800 °C to 1000 °C). Creep at 1023 K (750 °C), however, exhibits threshold stress behavior coinciding with the temperature at which a low volume fraction of ordered coherent γ′ precipitates forms. The threshold stress is determined experimentally to be around 70 MPa at 1023 K (750 °C) and is verified to be near zero at 1173 K (900 °C)—temperatures directly correlating to the formation and dissolution of γ′ precipitates, respectively. The γ′ precipitates provide an obstacle to continued dislocation motion and result in the presence of a threshold stress. TEM analysis of specimens crept at 1023 K (750 °C) to various strains, and modeling of stresses necessary for γ′ precipitate dislocation bypass, suggests that the climb of dislocations around the γ′ precipitates is the controlling factor for continued deformation at the end of primary creep and into the tertiary creep regime. As creep deformation proceeds at an applied stress of 121 MPa and the precipitates coarsen, the stress required for Orowan bowing is reached and this mechanism becomes active. At the minimum creep rate at an applied stress of 145 MPa, the finer precipitate size results in higher Orowan bowing stresses and the creep deformation is dominated by the climb of dislocations around the γ′ precipitates.     

High Temperature Strengthening in 12Cr-W-Mo Steels by Controlling the Formation of Delta Ferrite

Novel 12Cr-W-Mo-Co heat resistance steels (HRSs) with excellent mechanical properties have been developed for ultra-supercritical (USC) applications above 923 K (650 °C). The thermal analysis of the present steels indicates that the remelting temperature of secondary phases is increased by Co alloying, resulting in the improvement of microstructural stability. Delta ferrite in these HRSs is completely suppressed as the content of Co is increased up to 5 pct. The room temperature tensile strength (TS), yield strength (YS), and the elongation (EL) of the HRS with 5 pct Co reach 887.9, 652.6 MPa, and 21.07 pct, respectively. At 948 K (675 °C), the TS and YS of the HRS with 5 pct Co attain 360 and 290 MPa, respectively, which are higher than those of T/P122 steel by 27.4 and 22.1 pct, respectively. TEM study of the microstructure confirmed that the strengthening effects for these 12Cr-W-Mo-Co HRSs are attributed to the suppression of delta ferrite, the formation of fine martensitic laths with substructure, dislocation networks and walls, and the precipitation of second nanoscale phases.     

Resistance of 9–20%Cr-steels against metal dusting

The metal dusting resistance of various 2¼ Cr to 20%Cr steels has been tested in flowing CO-H₂-H₂O atmospheres at 525, 560, 600 and 650°C. For the 2¼Cr-steel immediately a constant rate of metal wastage is reached, for the high alloy steels the approach to this rate where all surface area is attacked, is more or less retarded by an oxide layer. The formation of a protective Cr-rich oxide layer is favoured by a high Cr-content of the steels, by the ferritic structure, by a fine-grained microstructure, by surface working and by high temperatures – these factors hinder or suppress metal dusting, whereas low Cr-concentration, austenitic structure, coarse-grained microstructure, removal of surface deformation by etching and a critical temperature of ≤ 600°C accelerate and enhance metal dusting.     

卷取温度对Ti微合金化高强钢力学性能的影响机理

固定化学成分和其他工艺参数,研究了紧凑式带钢生产卷取温度变化(625和579℃对Ti微合金化高强钢组织和力学性能的影响。热轧带钢的力学性能测试表明,卷取温度降低后,屈服强度降低205 MPa,而-20℃冲击功由11.7J增加到47 J。采用光学金相、电子显微术等手段分析了钢中组织和析出物,625℃卷取带钢为铁素体组织,579℃卷取带钢组织更为细小,贝氏体特征明显;而卷取温度降低后纳米尺寸碳化物的数量显著减少,由此降低了沉淀强化效果,造成强度大幅下降,并与组织细化一起改善材料的韧性。卷取温度是Ti微合金化高强钢生产中重要的工艺参数,需要严格控制。      

The influence of strength and phosphorus segregation on the ductile fracture mechanism in a Ni-Cr steel

Upper-shelf toughness and its degradation through ageing at 500°C have been investigated in quenched-and-tempered 300 M steel as a function of tempering treatment at 650°C. Material having a 0.2% proof stress in the range 550–1000 MPa was examined. Toughness was assessed using the parameters J_Ic and reduction-in-area, and was related to the ductile fracture mechanism through measurements of the strain required for void nucleation and void growth to coalescence. Changes in matrix rheology, void-nucleating precipitate morphology, bulk chemistry and interfacial chemistry were monitored during tempering and ageing, and the associated fractography was quantitatively assessed. The ductile fracture process in unaged material was dominated by the strain required for void nucleation on carbide precipitates. Nucleation strain increased with tempering time at 650°C causing a rise in ductility. Ageing at 500°C produced a loss of ductility for all temper conditions, and the sole cause of this effect was the segregation of phosphorus to carbide-matrix interfaces, identified by high resolution Auger spectroscopy. Both the strain required for void nucleation at carbides and that for void growth to coalescence were suppressed by ageing, through a reduction in interfacial cohesion consistent with the embrittling effect of segregated phosphorus.     

Effects of alloying additions and austenitizing treatments on secondary hardening and fracture behavior for martensitic steels containing both Mo and W

The effects of alloying additions and austenitizing treatments on secondary hardening and fracture behavior of martensitic steels containing both Mo and W were investigated. The secondary hardening response and properties of these steels are dependent on the composition and distribution of the carbides formed during aging (tempering) of the martensite, as modified by alloying additions and austenitizing treatments. The precipitates responsible for secondary hardening are M₂C carbides formed during the dissolution of the cementite (M₃C). The Mo-W steel showed moderately strong secondary hardening and delayed overaging due to the combined effects of Mo and W. The addition of Cr removed secondary hardening by the stabilization of cementite, which inhibited the formation of M₂C carbides. The elements Co and Ni, particularly in combination, strongly increased secondary hardening. Additions of Ni promoted the dissolution of cementite and provided carbon for the formation of M₂C carbide, while Co increased the nucleation rate of M₂C carbide. Fracture behavior is interpreted in terms of the presence of impurities and coarse cementite at the grain boundaries and the variation in matrix strength associated with the formation of M₂C carbides. For the Mo-W-Cr-Co-Ni steel, the double-austenitizing at the relatively low temperatures of 899 to 816 °C accelerated the aging kinetics because the ratio of Cr/(Mo + W) increased in the matrix due to the presence of undissolved carbides containing considerably larger concentrations of (Mo + W). The undissolved carbides reduced the impact toughness for aging temperatures up to 510 °C, prior to the large decrease in hardness that occurred on aging at higher temperatures.