Abnormal Trend of Ferrite Hardening in a Medium-Si Ferrite-Martensite Dual Phase Steel

• Published in: Metals (Basel ) Vol. 13; no. 3; p. 542
• Main Authors: Khajesarvi, Ali, Banadkouki, Seyyed Sadegh Ghasemi, Sajjadi, Seyed Abdolkarim, Somani, Mahesh C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.03.2023
• Subjects: alloying element partitioning; Alloys; Carbon; Chromium; Compressive properties; Dual phase steels; Ductility; Ferrite; ferrite hardening variation; ferrite-martensite/ferrite-pearlite DP microstructure; Grain size; Heat treating; Iron compounds; Martensite; medium Si low alloy steel; Microhardness; Morphology; Partitioning; Pearlite; Phase transitions; Residual stress; Solid solutions; Solution strengthening; Steel; step-quenched heat treatment; Strain hardening
• ISSN: 2075-4701; 2075-4701
• DOI: 10.3390/met13030542

In this paper, the effects of carbon, Si, Cr and Mn partitioning on ferrite hardening were studied in detail using a medium Si low alloy grade of 35CHGSA steel under ferrite-martensite/ferrite-pearlite dual-phase (DP) condition. The experimental results illustrated that an abnormal trend of ferrite hardening had occurred with the progress of ferrite formation. At first, the ferrite microhardness decreased with increasing volume fraction of ferrite, thereby reaching the minimum value for a moderate ferrite formation, and then it surprisingly increased with subsequent increase in ferrite volume fraction. Beside a considerable influence of martensitic phase transformation induced residual compressive stresses within ferrite, these results were further rationalized in respect of the extent of carbon, Si, Cr and Mn partitioning between ferrite and prior austenite (martensite) microphases leading to the solid solution hardening effects of these elements on ferrite.