Microstructure–Property Correlation in Low-Si Steel Processed Through Quenching and Nonisothermal Partitioning

• Published in: Metallurgical and materials transactions. A, Physical metallurgy and materials science Vol. 49; no. 8; pp. 3501 - 3514
• Main Authors: Bansal, Gaurav K., Rajinikanth, V., Ghosh, Chiradeep, Srivastava, V. C., Kundu, S., Ghosh Chowdhury, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abrasion resistant alloys; Abrasion resistant steels; Abrasive wear; Austenite; Carbon; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cooling; Heat treatment; Hot rolling; Impact strength; Martensitic stainless steels; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Microstructure; Nanotechnology; Partitioning; Quenching; Retained austenite; Salt bath furnaces; Silicon steels; Structural Materials; Surfaces and Interfaces; Tempered martensite; Thin Films; Toughness; Work hardening
• ISSN: 1073-5623; 1543-1940
• DOI: 10.1007/s11661-018-4677-1

In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to stabilize austenite by carbon partitioning through quenching and nonisothermal partitioning (Q&P) technique. This will eliminate the need for additional heat-treatment facility to perform isothermal partitioning or tempering process. The presence of retained austenite in the microstructure helps in increasing the toughness, which in turn is expected to improve the abrasion resistance of steels. The carbon partitioning from different quench temperatures has been performed on two different alloys, with low-Si content (0.5 wt pct), in a salt bath furnace atmosphere, the cooling profile of which closely resembles the industrially produced hot-rolled coil cooling. The results show that the stabilization of retained austenite is possible and gives rise to increased work hardening, better impact toughness and abrasive wear loss comparable to that of a fully martensitic microstructure. In contrast, tempered martensite exhibits better wear properties at the expense of impact toughness.