Modeling of kinetics of austenite-to-allotriomorphic ferrite transformation in 0.37C-1.45Mn-0.11V microalloyed steel

The present article is concerened with the theoretical and experimental study of the growth kinetics of allotriomorphic ferrite in medium carbon vanadium-titanium microalloyed steel. A theoretical model is presented in this work to calculate the evolution of austente-to-allotriomorphic ferrite transformation with time at a very wide temperature range. At temperatures above eutectoid temperature, where allotriomorphic ferrite is the only austenite transormation product, thesoft-impingement effect should be taken into account in the modeling. In that case, the Gilmouret al., analysis reliably predicts the progress of austenite-to-allotriomorphic ferrite transformation in this steel. By contrast, since pearlite acts as a carbon sink, the carbon enrichment of austenite due to the previous ferrite formation is avoided, and carbon concentration in austenite far from the α/λ interface remains the same as the overal carbon content of the steel. Hence, the soft-impingement effect should be neglected, and allotriomorphic ferrite is considered to grow under a parabolic law. Therefore, assumption of a semi-infinite extent austenite with constant boundary conditions is suitable for the kinetics of the isothermal decomposition of austenite. An excellent agreement (higher than 93 pct inR ²) has been obtained between the experimental and predicted values of the volume fraction of ferrite in all of the ranges of temperature studied. C. CAPDEVILA, Research Associate, formerly with the Department of Physical Metallurgy, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalurgicas (CENIM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain     

Modeling of kinetics of isothermal idiomorphic ferrite formation in a medium-carbon vanadium-titanium microalloyed steel

The present article is concerned with the theoretical and experimental study of the growth kinetics of idiomorphic ferrite in a medium-carbon vanadium-titanium microalloyed steel. A theoretical model is presented to calculate the evolution of isothermal austenite-to-idiomorphic ferrite transformation with time for a given temperature. Moreover, the nature, size, and distribution of the inclusions that are responsible for the intragranular nucleation of idiomorphic ferrite have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, the influence of austenite grain size in the isothermal decomposition of austenite in idiomorphic ferrite has been thoroughly analyzed. An excellent agreement (higher than 90 pct in R ²) has been obtained between the experimental and predicted values of the volume fraction of idiomorphic ferrite.     

Spatially resolved X-ray diffraction mapping of phase transformations in the heat-affected zone of carbon-manganese steel arc welds

Phase transformations that occur in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of gas tungsten arc welds in AISI 1005 carbon-manganese steel were investigated using spatially resolved X-ray diffraction (SRXRD) at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. In situ SRXRD experiments were performed to probe the phases present in the HAZ during welding of cylindrical steel bars. These real-time observations of the phases present in the HAZ were used to construct a phase transformation map that identifies five principal phase regions between the liquid weld pool and the unaffected base metal: (1) α-ferrite that is undergoing annealing, recrystallization, and/or grain growth at subcritical temperatures, (2) partially transformed α-ferrite co-existing with γ-austenite at intercritical temperatures, (3) single-phase γ-austenite at austenitizing temperatures, (4) δ-ferrite at temperatures near the liquidus temperature, and (5) back transformed α-ferrite co-existing with residual austenite at subcritical temperatures behind the weld. The SRXRD experimental results were combined with a heat flow model of the weld to investigate transformation kinetics under both positive and negative temperature gradients in the HAZ. Results show that the transformation from ferrite to austenite on heating requires 3 seconds and 158°C of superheat to attain completion under a heating rate of 102°C/s. The reverse transformation from austenite to ferrite on cooling was shown to require 3.3 seconds at a cooling rate of 45 °C/s to transform the majority of the austenite back to ferrite; however, some residual austenite was observed in the microstructure as far as 17 mm behind the weld.     

The principle of additivity and the

This study critically examines the principle of additivity and the reason that the proeutectoid ferrite transformation is additive. Austenite-to-proeutectoid ferrite transformation kinetics were measured under isothermal and stepped-isothermal conditions for AISI 1010 and 1020 steel grades using a dilatometer and a Gleeble 1500 thermomechanical simulator. The additive nature of the austenite-to-proeutectoid ferrite transformation was experimentally assessed by measuring transformation kinetics partially at one temperature and after a rapid temperature change to another temperature. Results of the tests on the 1010 steel showed that the proeutectoid ferrite transformation with allotriomorphic morphology is additive. Transformation kinetics were mea- sured for the 1020 steel with the ferrite morphology changing from allotriomorphic to predom- inantly Widmanstätten, and the transformation was additive. However, the stepped-isothermal test in which the ferrite was transformed and equilibrated at the first temperature and then rapidly cooled to the second temperature was not additive. The second part of the study involved de- veloping mathematical models with planar and spherical interface geometries to theoretically assess the additivity of the proeutectoid ferrite transformation. Additivity of the proeutectoid ferrite transformation was tested by predicting the ferrite growth kinetics and the associated carbon gradients under stepped-isothermal conditions. The predictions were consistent with the observed experimental additivity of the proeutectoid ferrite transformation, providing an expla- nation for this behavior, although theory would suggest ferrite reaction to be nonadditive.     

Reverse transformation of ferrite and pearlite to austenite in an ultrafine-grained low-carbon steel fabricated by severe plastic deformation

Reverse transformation characteristics of a low-carbon steel consisting of ultrafine-grained (UFG) ferrite and severely deformed pearlite by severe plastic deformation were investigated and compared to those of the steel having coarse-grained (CG) ferrite and undeformed pearlite by austenitization and subsequent air cooling. Coarse-grained steel exhibited two serial transformation stages, i.e., pear-lite → austenite followed by ferrite → austenite. Contrarily, UFG steel transformed with the three serial stages, i.e., probably carbon-supersaturated ferrite → austenite, not-fully-dissolved pearlite → austenite, and ferrite → austenite transformations.     

Austenite Nucleation and Growth Observed on the Level of Individual Grains by Three-Dimensional X-Ray Diffraction Microscopy

Austenite nucleation and growth is studied during continuous heating using three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3-D XRD) microscopy at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) (Grenoble, France). Unique in-situ observations of austenite nucleation and growth kinetics were made for two commercial medium-carbon low-alloy steels (0.21 and 0.35 wt pct carbon with an initial microstructure of ferrite and pearlite). The measured austenite volume fraction as a function of temperature shows a two-step behavior for both steel grades: it starts with a rather fast pearlite-to-austenite transformation, which is followed by a more gradual ferrite-to-austenite transformation. The austenite nucleus density exhibits similar behavior, with a sharp increase during the first stage of the transformation and a more gradual increase in the nucleus density in the second stage for the 0.21 wt pct carbon alloy. For the 0.35 wt pct carbon alloy, no new nuclei form during the second stage. Three different types of growth of austenite grains in the ferrite/pearlite matrix were observed. The combination of detailed separate observations of both nucleation and growth provides unique quantitative information on the phase transformation kinetics during heating, i.e., austenite formation from ferrite and pearlite.     

Analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis> → <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis> transformation in a C-Mn steel by phase-field modeling

This article deals with the austenite (γ) decomposition to ferrite (α) during cooling of a 0.10 wt pct C-0.49 wt pct Mn steel. A phase-field model is used to simulate this transformation. The model provides qualitative information on the microstructure that develops on cooling and quantitative data on both the ferrite fraction formed and the carbon concentration profile in the remaining austenite. The initial austenitic microstructure and the ferrite nucleation data, derived by metallographic examination and dilatometry, are set as input data of the model. The interface mobility is used as a fitting parameter to optimize the agreement between the simulated and experimental ferrite-fraction curve derived by dilatometry. A good agreement between the simulated α-γ microstructure and the actual α-pearlite microstructure observed after cooling is obtained. The derived carbon distribution in austenite during transformation provides comprehension of the nature of the transformation with respect to the interface-controlled or diffusion-controlled mode. It is found that, at the initial stage, the transformation is predominantly interface-controlled, but, gradually, a shift toward diffusion control takes place to a degree that depends on cooling rate.     

A kinetic model of the γ → α + Gr eutectoid transformation in spheroidal graphite cast irons

The eutectoid transformation of austenite in spheroidal graphite cast iron can follow one of two paths: (a) transformation to a mixture of ferrite and graphite or (b) transformation to pearlite. The extents to which the two reactions occur determine the relative amounts of ferrite and pearlite in the microstructure and, hence, the properties of the iron. In this paper, the kinetics of the γ → α+ Gr reaction is studied, and a model is developed to predict the isothermal transformation rates. The transformation occurs at a rate determined by the rate of carbon diffusion. The diffusion of carbon through ferrite, as well as through austenite, has been considered. The model predicts that the volume fraction of austenite transformed isothermally increases with increasing number density of graphite spheroids. Predictions of the model are compared with data available in literature.     

Analysis of lattice parameter changes following deformation of a 0.19C-1.63Si-1.59Mn transformation-induced plasticity sheet steel

Austenite and ferrite lattice parameters were monitored using X-ray diffraction subsequent to deformation in uniaxial and biaxial tension and plane straining of a 0.19C-1.63Si-1.59Mn transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) sheet steel. Details from peak position results suggest the presence of stacking faults in the austenite phase, especially after deformation in uniaxial tension. The results also indicate residual stress or composition effects (through changes in the average carbon concentration due to selective transformation of lower carbon regions of austenite). Compressive residual stresses in the ferrite matrix were measured, and found to increase with increasing effective strain in specimens tested in biaxial tension and plane strain. Strain partitioning between softer ferrite and harder austenite (and possibly bainite or martensite) may be responsible for these residual compressive stresses in the ferrite, although volume expansion from the γ → α′ transformation and texture gradients through the sheet thickness are also possible contributors.     

Crystallographic features of theγ-to-α transformation in a Nb-added transformation-induced plasticity steel

A Nb-bearing transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel was control rolled and a certain amount of austenite was retained through appropriate heat treatment. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements were conducted on specimens deformed to various reductions, and the orientations of theα grains formed within individual prior-austenite grains were compared to those expected from the common correspondence relationships. While most of the bainite orientations cluster around the Bain circles formed by these relations, the polygonal (allotriomorphic) ferrite formed at the austenite grain boundaries does not obey any of these relations with respect to the neighboring austenite orientations. Grain-scale variant selection was observed in both the deformed and undeformed austenite grains. The crystallographic features of the deformation-induced ferrite transformation are also discussed.     

Simulation of ferrite growth in continuously cooled low-carbon iron alloys

The growth of a planar ferrite (α): austenite (γ) boundary in low-carbon iron and Fe-Mn alloys continuously cooled from austenite through the (α+γ) two-phase field and the α single-phase field was simulated by incorporating carbon diffusion in austenite, intrinsic boundary mobility, and the drag of an alloying element. At a very high cooling rate (≥ 10³ °C/s), the width of the carbon diffusion spike in austenite approaches the limit at which spikes are viable, so that the growth of ferrite in which carbon is not partitioned can occur even above the α solvus. In this context, the upper limiting temperature of partitionless growth of ferrite is the T ₀ temperature. In the presence of drag of an alloying element, e.g., Mn, both carbon-partitioned and partitionless growth of ferrite begins to occur at finite undercoolings from the Ae ₃, T ₀, or α-solvus temperature, at which the driving force for transformation exceeds the drag force. The intrinsic mobility of the α:γ boundary may play a significant role at an extremely high cooling rate (≥10⁵ °C/s). This article is based on a presentation made at the symposium entitled “The Mechanisms of the Massive Transformation,” a part of the Fall 2000 TMS Meeting held October 16–19, 2000, in St. Louis, Missouri, under the auspices of the ASM Phase Transformations Committee.     

Influence of alloying elements on the kinetics of strain-induced martensitic nucleation in low-alloy, multiphase high-strength steels

Low-alloy multiphase transformation-induced-plasticity (TRIP) steels offer excellent mechanical properties in terms of elongation and strength. This results from the complex synergy between the different phases, i.e., ferrite, bainite, and retained austenite. The precise knowledge of the austenite-to-martensite transformation kinetics is required to understand the behavior of TRIP steels in a wide array of applications. The parameters determining the stability of the metastable austenite were reviewed and investigated experimentally, with special attention paid to the effect of the chemical composition, the temperature, and the size of the austenite particles. The results show that the stability and rate of transformation of the austenite particles in TRIP steels have a pronounced composition dependence: austenite particles transform at a faster rate in CMnSi TRIP steel than in TRIP steels in which Si is fully or partially replaced by Al and P. The results clearly support the view that (1) both a high C content and a submicron size are required for the room-temperature stability of the austenite particles and (2) the effect of the chemical composition on the transformation is due to its influence on the intrinsic stacking-fault energy. In addition, the composition dependence of the Md ₃₀ temperature was derived by regression analysis of experimental data. The influence of the size of the retained austenite particles on their Ms ^σ temperature was studied by means of a thermodynamic model. Both the analysis of the transformation-kinetics data and the microstructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy revealed the very limited role of autocatalysis in the transformation.     

Formation of austenite in 1.5 pct Mn steels

The formation of austenite from different microstructural conditions has been studied in a series of 1.5 pct Mn steels that had been heated in and above the intercritical (α+ γ) region of the phase diagram. The influence of variables such as cementite morphology, initial structural state of the ferrite and the carbon content has been assessed in terms of their respective effects on the kinetics of austenite formation and final microstructure. Austenite was found to form preferentially on ferrite-ferrite grain boundaries for all initial structures. The results of this study have shown that the 1.5 pct Mn has lowered both the AC₃ and AC₁, lines causing large amounts of austenite to form in low carbon steel. The kinetics of austenite formation at 725 °C were not only very slow but also were approximately independent of the amount formed. Austenite appeared to form slightly more rapidly from cold rolled ferrite than from recrystallized ferrite or ferrite-pearlite structures.     

Microstructural evolution during the austenite-to-ferrite transformation from deformed austenite

It is well established that the ferrite grain size of low-carbon steel can be refined by hot rolling of the austenite at temperatures below the nonrecrystallization temperature (T _nr ). The strain retained in the austenite increases the number of ferrite nuclei present in the initial stages of transformation. In this work, a C-Mn-Nb steel has been heavily deformed by torsion at temperatures below the determined T _nr for this steel. After deformation, specimens are cooled at a constant cooling rate of 1 °C/s, and interrupted quenching at different temperatures is used to observe different stages of transformation. The transformation kinetics and the evolution of the ferrite grain size have been analyzed. It has been shown that the stored energy due to the accumulated deformation is able to influence the nucleation for low undercoolings by acting on the driving force for transformation; this influence becomes negligible as the temperature decreases. At the early stages of transformation, it has been observed that the preferential nucleation sites of ferrite are the austenite grain boundaries. At the later stages, when impingement becomes important, ferrite coarsening accompanies the transformation and a significant reduction in the number of the ferrite grains per unit volume is observed. As a result, a wide range of ferrite grain sizes is present in the final microstructure, which can influence the mechanical properties of the steel.     

In-Situ High-Energy X-ray Diffraction Study of Austenite Decomposition During Rapid Cooling and Isothermal Holding in Two HSLA Steels

In-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction experiments with high temporal resolution during rapid cooling (280 °C s⁻¹) and isothermal heat treatments (at 450 °C, 500 °C, and 550 °C for 30 minutes) were performed to study austenite decomposition in two commercial high-strength low-alloy steels. The rapid phase transformations occurring in these types of steels are investigated for the first time in-situ, aiding a detailed analysis of the austenite decomposition kinetics. For the low hardenability steel with main composition Fe-0.08C-1.7Mn-0.403Si-0.303Cr in weight percent, austenite decomposition to polygonal ferrite and bainite occurs already during the initial cooling. However, for the high hardenability steel with main composition Fe-0.08C-1.79Mn-0.182Si-0.757Cr-0.094Mo in weight percent, the austenite decomposition kinetics is retarded, chiefly by the Mo addition, and therefore mainly bainitic transformation occurs during isothermal holding; the bainitic transformation rate at the isothermal holding is clearly enhanced by lowered temperature from 550 °C to 500 °C and 450 °C. During prolonged isothermal holding, carbide formation leads to decreased austenite carbon content and promotes continued bainitic ferrite formation. Moreover, at prolonged isothermal holding at higher temperatures some degenerate pearlite form.

     

Effect of Austenite Deformation on Continuous Cooling Transformation Microstructures for 22CrSH Gear Steel

 The effect of compressive deformation of austenite on continuous cooling transformation microstructures for 22CrSH gear steel has been investigated using a Gleeble 1500 thermal simulator. The experimental results show that the deformation of austenite promotes the formation of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite, and leads to the increase of critical cooling rate of proeutectoid ferrite plus pearlite microstructure. The grain boundary allotriomorphic ferrite occupies the austenite grain surfaces when the prior deformation takes place or the cooling rate is decreased, which causes a transition from bainite to acicular ferrite. The deformation enhances the stability of transformation from austenite to acicular ferrite, which results in an increase of M/A constituent.     

Continuous cooling transformation diagrams applicable to the heat-affected zone of HSLA-80 and HSLA-100 steels

Continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams for HSLA-80 and HSLA-100 steels pertaining to fusion welding with heat inputs of 10 to 40 kJ/cm, and peak temperatures of 1000 °C to 1400 °C have been developed. The corresponding nonlinear cooling profiles and related γ → α phase transformation start and finish temperatures for various peak temperature conditions have been taken into account. The martensite start (M _s ) temperature for each of the grades and ambient temperature microstructures were considered for mapping the CCT diagrams. The austenite condition and cooling rate are found to influence the phase transformation temperatures, transformation kinetics, and morphology of the transformed products. In the fine-grain heat-affected zone (FGHAZ) of HSLA-80 steel, the transformation during cooling begins at temperatures of 550 °C to 560 °C, and in the HSLA-100 steel at 470 °C to 490 °C. In comparison, the transformation temperature is lower by 120 °C and 30 °C in the coarse-grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of HSLA-80 steel and HSLA-100 steel, respectively. At these temperatures, acicular ferrite (AF) and lath martensite (LM) phases are formed. While the FGHAZ contains a greater proportion of acicular ferrite, the CGHAZ has a higher volume fraction of LM. Cooling profiles from the same peak temperature influence the transformation kinetics with slower cooling rates producing a higher volume fraction of acicular ferrite at the expense of LM. The CCT diagrams produced can predict the microstructure of the entire HAZ and have overcome the limitations of the conventional CCT diagrams, primarily with respect to the CGHAZ.     

Kinetics of austenite-ferrite and austenite-pearlite transformations in a 1025 carbon steel

Isothermal and continuous-cooling transformation kinetics have been measured dilatometrically for the γ → α+ γ′ and γ′→ P reactions in a 1025 steel. The isothermal transformation of austenite for each reaction was found to fit the Avrami equation after the fraction transformed was normalized to unity at the completion of the reaction and a transformation-start time was determined. The transformation kinetics under isothermal conditions therefore were characterized in terms of then andb parameters from the Avrami equation together with the transformation-start times. The parametern was found to be independent of temperature over the range studied (645 to 760 ‡C) and to have values of 0.99 and 1.33 for the ferrite and pearlite reactions, respectively. This indicates that the nucleation condition is essentially constant and site saturation occurs early in the transformation process. The continuous-cooling experiments were conducted at cooling rates of 2 to 150 ‡C per second to determine the transformation-start times for the ferrite and pearlite reactions and the completion time for transformation to pearlite under CCT conditions. Both reactions were found to obey the Additivity Principle for continuous cooling provided that the incubation (pre-transformation) period was not included in the transformation time. The isothermal transformation data and CCT transformation-start times have been incorporated in a mathematical model to predict continuous-cooling transformation kinetics that agree closely with measurements made at three cooling rates.