Effect of partitioning on microstructure and properties of a medium carbon Ti Mo bearing high strength Q&P steel

In order to investigate the effect of partitioning procedures on microstructure and properties of a medium carbon Ti Mo bearing steel, the salt bath experiment, field emission SEM, TEM and tensile tests as well as wear tests were utilized to clarify the microstructural evolution and property changes treated by different partitioning parameters. The results show that the microstructures consist of tempered lath martensite, cementite and (Ti, Mo)C particles. With prolonging partitioning time or increasing partitioning temperature, the amount of laths martensite decreases and thicker martensite plates with blunt boundaries appear. In addition, with increasing partitioning temperature from 310℃ to 400℃, the tensile strength, hardness and low temperature toughness are simultaneously decreased, and the reduction reaches up to about 300MPa, 100HV and 20J, respectively. Finally, the wear performance of the samples partitioned below Ms is obviously better than that of samples partitioned above Ms. The morphology of worn surface of samples partitioned below Ms is characterized by plastic fatigue morphology, while the worn surfaces of samples partitioned above Ms are mainly dominated by grooves.