Effect of Tempering Time on Microstructure, Tensile Properties, and Deformation Behavior of a Ferritic Light-Weight Steel

In the present study, a ferritic light-weight steel was tempered at 973 K (700 °C) for various tempering times, and tensile properties and deformation mechanisms were investigated and correlated to microstructure. ??-carbides precipitated in the tempered band-shaped martensite and ferrite matrix, and the tempered martensite became more decomposed with increasing tempering time. Tempering times for 3 days or longer led to the formation of austenite as irregular thick-film shapes mostly along boundaries between the tempered martensite and the ferrite matrix. Tensile tests of the 1-day-tempered specimen showed that deformation bands were homogeneously spread throughout the specimen, and that the fine carbides were sufficiently deformed inside these deformation bands resulting in high strength and ductility. The 3-day-tempered specimen showed a small amount of boundary austenite, which readily developed voids or cracks and became sites for fracture. This cracking at boundary austenites became more prominent in the 7- and 15-day-tempered specimens, as the volume fraction of boundary austenites increased with increasing tempering time. These findings suggested that, when the steel was tempered at 973 K (700 °C) for an appropriate time, i.e., 1 day, to sufficiently precipitate ??-carbides and to prevent the formation of boundary austenites, that the deformation occurred homogeneously, leading to overall higher mechanical properties.