Showing papers on "Austenite published in 2008"

Microband-induced plasticity in a high Mn–Al–C light steel

Abstract: Room temperature tensile behavior of a high Mn–Al–C steel in the solid solution state was correlated to the microstructures developed during plastic deformation in order to clarify the dominant deformation mechanisms. The steel was fully austenitic with a fairly high stacking fault energy of ∼85 mJ/m 2 . The tensile behavior of the steel was manifested by an excellent combination of strength and ductility over 80,000 MPa% in association with continuous strain hardening to the high strain. In addition, the austenite phase was very stable during deformation. The high stacking fault energy and firm stability of austenite were attributed to the high Al content. In spite of the high stacking fault energy, deformed microstructures exhibited the planar glide characteristics, seemingly due to the glide plane softening effect. In the process of straining, the formation of crystallographic microbands and their intersections dominantly occurred. Microbands consisting of geometrically necessary dislocations led to the high total dislocation density state during deformation, resulting in continuous strain hardening. This microband-induced plasticity is to be the origin of the enhanced mechanical properties of the steel.

Effect of Retained Austenite Stabilized via Quench and Partitioning on the Strain Hardening of Martensitic Steels

Abstract: A novel heat-treating process, quench and partitioning (Q&P), has been proposed as a fundamentally new way to produce martensitic microstructures containing retained austenite. The two-step process hypothesizes carbon enrichment of the austenite by decarburization of the martensite. Significant amounts of retained austenite have been measured in the final microstructure, although evidence for transition carbide formation in the martensite also exists. The mechanical properties obtained via Q&P are reported for a CMnAlSiP steel after intercritical annealing for A50 specimens. Tensile strength/total elongation combinations, ranging from 800 MPa/>25 pct to 900 MPa/20 pct to 1000 MPa/10 pct, indicate that Q&P is a viable way to produce high strength steel grades with good ductility. The instantaneous strain hardening of Q&P steels shows a significant dependence on the partitioning conditions applied. Lower partitioning temperature (PT) leads to continuously decreasing instantaneous n-values with strain, similar to the strain hardening behavior observed for dual-phase (DP) steels, whereas higher PTs for the same partitioning time increase the strain hardening significantly. After an initial increase, the observed n-values remain high up to considerable amounts of strain, resulting in similar strain hardening behavior observed for austempered transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) grades. Assessment of the mechanical stability of the retained austenite indicates that the TRIP effect is effectively contributing to the increased strain hardening as function of strain.

Influence of silicon on cementite precipitation in steels

Abstract: The mechanism by which relatively small concentrations of silicon influence the precipitation of cementite from carbon supersaturated austenite and ferrite are investigated. It is found that one condition for the retardation of cementite is that the latter must grow under para-equilibrium conditions, i.e. the silicon must be trapped in the cementite. However, this is not a sufficient condition in that it can only be effective in retarding the transformation rate if the overall driving force for the reaction is not large. It is demonstrated that the experience that silicon retards the tempering of martensite requires the presence of lattice defects which can reduce the amount of carbon available for precipitation and the associated driving force.

Suppression of martensitic phase transition at the Ni2MnGa film surface

Abstract: We investigated magnetic and structural properties at the surface of epitaxial Ni2MnGa(110) Heusler films using x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism both in transmission and total electron yield mode. The magnetic shape memory films were prepared by dc sputtering from a stoichiometric target onto sapphire substrates at an optimized substrate temperature of 773K. X-ray diffraction confirms a (110) oriented growth on Al2O3(112¯0) and an austenite to martensite transition at 270–280K. At the surface the martensitic phase transition and the magnetization are strongly suppressed. The deviation in the surface properties is caused by a Mn deficiency near the surface.

Recrystallization in AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel during and after hot deformation

Abstract: In order to improve the understanding of the dynamic and post-dynamic recrystallization behaviours of AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel, a series of hot torsion test have been performed under a range of deformation conditions. The mechanical and microstructural features of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) were characterized to compare and contrast them with those of the post-dynamic recrystallization. A necklace type of dynamically recrystallized microstructure was observed during hot deformation at 900 °C and at a strain rate of 0.01 s−1. Following deformation, the dependency of time for 50% recrystallization, t50, changed from “strain dependent” to “strain independent” at a transition strain (ɛ*), which is significantly beyond the peak. This transition strain was clearly linked to the strain for 50% dynamic recrystallization during deformation. The interrelations between the fraction of dynamically recrystallized microstructure, the evolution of post-dynamically recrystallized microstructure and the final grain size have been established. The results also showed an important role of grain growth on softening of deformed austenite.

Microstructure and failure behavior of dissimilar resistance spot welds between low carbon galvanized and austenitic stainless steels

Abstract: Resistance spot welding was used to join austenitic stainless steel and galvanized low carbon steel. The relationship between failure mode and weld fusion zone characteristics (size and microstructure) was studied. It was found that spot weld strength in the pullout failure mode is controlled by the strength and fusion zone size of the galvanized steel side. The hardness of the fusion zone which is governed by the dilution between two base metals, and fusion zone size of galvanized carbon steel side are dominant factors in determining the failure mode.

Morphologies and characteristics of deformation induced martensite during tensile deformation of 304 LN stainless steel

Abstract: The austenite γ (fcc) matrix of 304 LN stainless steel transforms readily to martensites ɛ (hcp) and α′ (bcc) on deformation. The formation and nucleation mechanism of deformation induced martensite (DIM) during tensile deformation of 304 LN stainless steel has been studied at various strain rates in room temperature. It is investigated that the enhancement of strain rates during tensile deformation promotes the early formation of DIM, while suppressing its saturation value at fracture. Extensive transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed more than one nucleation site for martensite transformation and the transformation mechanisms were observed to be γ (fcc) → ɛ (hcp), γ (fcc) → α′ (bcc) and γ (fcc) → ɛ (hcp) → α′ (bcc).

Deformation-induced martensitic transformation in metastable austenitic steels

Abstract: The deformation-induced martensite formation in metastable austenitic steels is investigated under monotonic and cyclic loading at ambient temperature. Mechanical stress–strain, temperature and magnetic measurements were performed to characterize the cyclic deformation behavior of AISI 304, AISI 321 and AISI 348 stainless steels with particular attention to the deformation-induced martensite formation. On the basis of comprehensive experimental data from plastic-strain-controlled fatigue tests a new model was developed to describe and predict the martensite formation. The process of martensite formation can be modeled as function of the cumulative plastic strain and the cumulative strain-energy density.

Characterization of ultrasonically peened and laser-shock peened surface layers of AISI 321 stainless steel

Abstract: The effects of ultrasonic impact peening (UIP) and laser-shock peening (LSP) without protective and confining media on microstructure, phase composition, microhardness and residual stresses in near-surface layers of an austenitic stainless steel AISI 321 are studied. An X-ray diffraction analysis shows both significant lines broadening and formation of strain-induced e- and α-martensite after UIP with additional peaks found near austenite ones in the low-angle part after LSP supposedly due to formation of a dislocation-cell structure in the surface layer. TEM studies demonstrate that a nano-grain structure containing either only austenitic grains with e-martensite (at strains up to 0.42) or both austenite and α-martensite grains (at higher strains) can form in the surface layer after UIP. Highly tangled and dense dislocation arrangements and even cell structures in fully austenitic grains are revealed both at the surface after LSP and in the layer at a depth of 80 μm after UIP. UIP is found to produce a sub-surface layer 10 times thicker and about 1.4 times harder than that formed by LSP. A mechanism of formation of the dislocation-cell structure in such steels (with a low stacking fault energy) is discussed. A nucleation process of α-martensite is discussed with respect to strain, strain rate, local heating and mechanical energy accumulated/applied to the surface layer under conditions of UIP and the LSP and compared to literature data for different loading schemes.

Martensitic phase transformation in rapidly solidified Mn50Ni40In10 alloy ribbons

Abstract: Heusler alloy Mn50Ni40In10 was produced as preferentially textured ribbon flakes by melt spinning, finding the existence of martensitic-austenic transformation with both phases exhibiting ferromagnetic ordering. A microcrystalline three-layered microstructure of ordered columnar grains grown perpendicularly to ribbon plane was formed between two thin layers of smaller grains. The characteristic temperatures of the martensitic transformation were MS=213K, Mf=173K, AS=222K, and Af=243K. Austenite phase shows a cubic L21 structure (a=0.6013(3)nm at 298K and a Curie point of 311K), transforming into a modulated fourteen-layer modulation monoclinic martensite.

EBSD as a tool to identify and quantify bainite and ferrite in low‐alloyed Al‐TRIP steels

Abstract: Bainite is thought to play an important role for the chemical and mechanical stabilization of metastable austenite in low-alloyed TRIP steels. Therefore, in order to understand and improve the material properties, it is important to locate and quantify the bainitic phase. To this aim, electron backscatter diffraction-based orientation microscopy has been employed. The main difficulty herewith is to distinguish bainitic ferrite from ferrite because both have bcc crystal structure. The most important difference between them is the occurrence of transformation induced geometrically necessary dislocations in the bainitic phase. To determine the areas with larger geometrically necessary dislocation density, the following orientation microscopy maps were explored: pattern quality maps, grain reference orientation deviation maps and kernel average misorientation maps. We show that only the latter allow a reliable separation of the bainitic and ferritic phase. The kernel average misorientation threshold value that separates both constituents is determined by an algorithm that searches for the smoothness of the boundaries between them.

Finite element simulation of welding and residual stresses in a P91 steel pipe incorporating solid-state phase transformation and post-weld heat treatment

Abstract: The finite element (FE) method has been applied to simulate residual axial and hoop stresses generated in the weld region and heat-affected zone of an axisymmetric 50-bead circumferentially butt-welded P91 steel pipe, with an outer diameter of 145 mm and wall thickness of 50 mm. The FE simulation consists of a thermal analysis and a sequentially coupled structural analysis. Solid-state phase transformation (SSPT), which is characteristic of P91 steel during welding thermal cycles, has been modelled in the FE analysis by allowing for volumetric changes in steel and associated changes in yield stress due to austenitic and martensitic transformations. Phase transformation plasticity has also been taken into account. The effects of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) have been investigated, including those of heat treatment holding time. Residual axial and hoop stresses have been depicted through the pipe wall thickness as well as along the outer surface of the pipe. The results indicate the importance of including SSPT in the simulation of residual stresses during the welding of P91 steel as well as the significance of PWHT on stress relaxation.

Effect of solution treatment temperature on the precipitation kinetic of σ-phase in 2205 duplex stainless steel welds

Abstract: The effect of the prior solution treatment temperature on the δ-ferrite transformation in 2205 duplex stainless welds after aging at 850 °C has been studied. Microstructural examination showed that the σ-phase and M23C6 chromium carbides precipitate at the δ/γ interfaces and within the δ-ferrite grains. Increasing the solution treatment temperature from 1050 to 1250 °C delays the σ-phase formation and favours the precipitation of intragranular secondary austenite γ2. The simulation of the σ-phase precipitation kinetic in the base metal, HAZ and weld metal, indicates a good agreement between the experimental fitted data and the modified Johnson–Mehl–Avrami model. The results indicate a marked sensitivity of the σ-phase precipitation kinetic to the solution treatment temperature. A high precipitation rate corresponds to a fine grained structure with ferrite enriched in σ forming elements (Cr, Mo).

Revisiting the Structure of Martensite in Iron-Carbon Steels

Abstract: A model is developed to describe the formation and crystal structure of martensite in quenched Fe-C steels based on the extensive published literature on the subject. Unique changes in the properties and structure of martensite are shown to occur at 0.6 mass% C, designated as the H-point. The concept of primary and secondary martensite is introduced in order to indicate that two different, sequential, martensites will form during quenching of Fe-C steels above 0.6 mass% C. Below 0.6 mass% C, only primary martensite is created through the two sequential steps FCC ! HCP followed by HCP ! BCC. Primary martensite has a lath structure and is described as BCC iron containing a C-rich phase that precipitates during quenching. The HCP transition phase is critical in interpreting the two martensite structures based on the premise that the maximum solubility of C in the HCP phase is 0.6 mass%. Primary martensite continues to form at compositions greater than 0.6 mass% C with the creation of a carbon-rich BCT phase. This is followed by the start of secondary martensite which forms at the MS (martensite start temperature) and creates the traditional BCT plates adjoining retained austenite. Both martensites are predicted to co-exist at the highest C contents. A quantitative model, based on the specific volume of the various phases obtained after quenching, has been used to calculate the composition of the precipitated C-rich phase for a 0.88 mass% C steel. It is predicted that the carbon-rich phase is either diamond or � (Fe2C) carbide. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MRA2007338]

Phase Transformation from Fine-grained Austenite

Abstract: Microstructure formed by diffusional or martensitic transformation from fine-grained austenite of which grain size is smaller than 5 μm was studied. Grain refinement of austenite was established through two kinds of reversion processes; (1) cyclic transformation between martensite and austenite and (2) reverse transformation from tempered and cold-rolled lath martensite (or pearlite). In the process of (1), the fine austenite structures whose grain sizes of 5-10 μm are obtained. Refinement of austenite grain size results in the increase of hardness. In the process of (2), austenite grain size can be refined down to about 2 μm in low-carbon Mn steels by microalloying through pinning of austenite grain growth by alloy carbides. The ferrite grain size after continuous cooling transformation becomes finer as austenite grain size is refined. However, the grain size ratio of austenite and ferrite, d α /d γ , increases by refining austenite grain size. For the austenite of grain size smaller than 5 μm, the ferrite grain size becomes coarser than that of austenite for slow cooling. A similar trend in the change of ferrite grain size by refinement of austenite was recognized for isothermal pearlite transformation in eutectoid alloys. Thus, it is suggested that extensive accelerated cooling is important to obtain fine-grained ferrite by diffusional transformations from the fine-grained austenite. Packet and block sizes of lath martensite in low carbon steels are also refined by decreasing the austenite grain size. Several packets and blocks are formed even from the austenite matrix of 2 μm in grain size.

Transformation behavior and microstructural characteristics of acicular ferrite in linepipe steels

Abstract: Transformation behavior and morphological characteristics of acicular ferrite in linepipe steels were investigated through the use of a dilatometer and EBSD. The results show that the volume fraction of acicular ferrite increased with an increase in the amount of hot-deformation in the austenite non-recrystallization region because acicular ferrite is formed at nucleation sites such as dislocations within austenite grains. This study found that acicular ferrite is formed at approximately 600 °C, where the transformation behavior can be characterized as a two-stage reaction : (i) nucleation of acicular ferrite and (ii) formation of polygonal ferrite between acicular ferrite grains. EBSD analyses show that an acicular ferrite grain consists of several sub-units misoriented by 1–2° and that a set of adjacent acicular ferrite grains with crystallographic misorientation below 15° makes up the crystallographic packet .

Magnetically induced reorientation of martensite variants in constrained epitaxial Ni-Mn-Ga films grown on MgO(001)

Abstract: Magnetically induced reorientation (MIR) is observed in epitaxial orthorhombic Ni-Mn-Ga films. Ni-Mn-Ga films have been grown epitaxially on heated MgO(001) substrates in the cubic austenite state. The unit cell is rotated by 45 relative to the MgO cell. The growth, structure texture and anisotropic magnetic properties of these films are described. The crystallographic analysis of the martensitic transition reveals variant selection dominated by the substrate constraint. The austenite state has low magnetocrystalline anisotropy. In the martensitic state, the magnetization curves reveal an orthorhombic symmetry having three magnetically non-equivalent axes. The existence of MIR is deduced from the typical hysteresis within the first quadrant in magnetization curves and independently by texture measurement without and in the presence of a magnetic field probing microstructural changes. An analytical model is presented, which describes MIR in films with constrained overall extension by the additional degree of freedom of an orthorhombic structure compared to the tetragonal structure used in the standard model.