The effect of grain size and retained austenite on the ductile-brittle transition of a titanium-gettered iron alloy

The effect of microstructural changes on the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) was studied in a titanium-getter ed Fe-8Ni-2 Mn-0.15 Ti alloy. A fairly strong grain size dependence of the transition temperature, 8°C/mm^?1/2, was found. Grain size refinement from 38 μm (ASTM #6.5) to 1.5 μm (ASTM #15.5) through a four-step thermal treatment lowered the transition temperature by 162°C. A small amount of retained austenite was introduced into this grain-refined microstructure, and the transition temperature was reduced by an additional 120 ~ 150°C. The reduction of the DBTT due to retained austenite was smaller when the austenite was in a large-grained structure (64°C). The distribution and stability of retained austenite were also studied.