Effect of water quenching process on the microstructure and magnetic property of cold rolled dual phase steel

The effects of water quenching process on the microstructure and magnetic property of cold rolled dual phase steel are investigated. Correlations of microstructure, magnetic properties and water quenching parameters are established. The results show that the microstructure of the dual phase steels mainly consists of the ferrite and martensite phase, the martensite volume fraction increases gradually on increasing the holding and quenching temperature. It is found that magnetic properties of dual phase steel are very sensitive to the quenching process. Based on the minor hysteresis loop results, the coercivity and hysteresis loss increase obviously with the increase of quenching temperature, while the remanent induction and the maximum permeability tend to decrease. Furthermore, the magnetic domain structure of the ferrite phase in the presented dual phase steel is observed by magnetic force microscopy. The mechanism of the magnetic property varying with the quenching process is also discussed.     

Micromechanical characterisation of TRIP-assisted multiphase steels by in situ neutron diffraction

The flow behaviour of the constitutive phases in multiphase steels, possibly exhibiting a mechanically-induced phase transformation (TRIP effect), is investigated using neutron diffraction conducted during uniaxial tensile loading. The BCC and FCC lattice strains of several specimens containing different amounts ferrite, bainite, martensite and metastable retained austenite are measured along elastic and plastic deformation. The validity of the measurements, as well as the strengthening resulting from the TRIP effect, are evaluated on the basis of overall mechanical equilibrium.     

Crystal plasticity study on stress and strain partitioning in a measured 3D dual phase steel microstructure

Dual phase steels are advanced high strength alloys typically used for structural parts and reinforcements in car bodies. Their good combination of strength and ductility and their lean composition render them an economically competitive option for realizing multiple lightweight design options in automotive engineering. The mechanical response of dual phase steels is the result of the strain and stress partitioning among the ferritic and martensitic phases and the individual crystallographic grains and subgrains of these phases. Therefore, understanding how these microstructural features influence the global and local mechanical properties is of utmost importance for the design of improved dual phase steel grades. While multiple corresponding simulation studies have been dedicated to the investigation of dual phase steel micromechanics, numerical tools and experiment techniques for characterizing and simulating real 3D microstructures of such complex materials have been emerged only recently. Here we present a crystal plasticity simulation study based on a 3D dual phase microstructure which is obtained by EBSD tomography, also referred to as 3D EBSD (EBSD—electron backscatter diffraction). In the present case we utilized a 3D EBSD serial sectioning approach based on mechanical polishing. Moreover, sections of the 3D microstructure are used as 2D models to study the effect of this simplification on the stress and strain distribution. The simulations are conducted using a phenomenological crystal plasticity model and a spectral method approach implemented in the Düsseldorf Advanced Material Simulation Kit (DAMASK).     

钢中脆硬粒子裂纹形成机理

钢中的脆硬粒子对钢的解理脆断有直接的影响，解理断裂源大都发生在脆硬粒子上.根据微裂纹形成的热力学模型，利用钢中脆硬粒子开裂时所释放的弹性应变能、位错塞积弹性能，所产生的表面能，对脆硬粒子裂纹形成机理进行分析.模型计算表明，正应力和位错塞积力都是脆硬粒子开裂的必要条件，这与实验事实相符；同时给出脆硬粒子开裂的临界条件计算方法，计算发现，脆硬粒子临界开裂应力不仅取决于脆硬粒子尺寸及表面能，而且与晶粒直径有一定的相关关系，当晶粒直径较小时，这种关系与实验测定的材料解理断裂应力与晶粒尺寸的关系一致，说明整体失稳解 关键词： 解理断裂 裂纹形核 脆硬粒子     

Crystalline damage growth during martensitic phase transformations

A thermomechanical model is developed within a large deformation setting in order to simulate the interactions between martensitic phase transformations and crystalline damage growth at the austenitic grain level. Subgrain information is included in the model via the crystallographic theory of martensitic transformations. The damage and transformation characteristics are dependent of the specific martensitic transformation systems activated during a loading process, which makes the model strongly anisotropic. The state of transformation for the individual transformation systems is represented by the corresponding volume fractions. The state of damage in the austenite and in the martensitic transformation systems is reflected by the corresponding damaged volume fractions. The thermodynamical forces energetically conjugated to the rate of volume fraction and the rate of damaged volume fraction are the driving forces for transformation and crystalline damage, respectively. The expressions for these driving forces follow after constructing the specific form of the Helmholtz energy for a phase-changing, damaging material. The model is used to analyze several three-dimensional boundary value problems that are representative of microstructures appearing in multiphase carbon steels containing retained austenite. The analyses show that the incorporation of damage in the model effectively limits the elastic stresses developing in the martensitic product phase, where the maximum value of the stress strongly depends on the toughness of the martensite. Furthermore, in an aggregate of randomly oriented grains of retained austenite embedded in a ferritic matrix the generation of crystalline damage delays the phase transformation process, and may arrest it if the martensitic product phase is sufficiently brittle. The response characteristics computed with the phase-changing damage model are confirmed by experimental results.     

Strength and failure of cemented granular matter

Cemented granular materials (CGMs) consist of densely packed solid particles and a pore-filling solid matrix sticking to the particles. We use a sub-particle lattice discretization method to investigate the particle-scale origins of strength and failure properties of CGMs. We show that jamming of the particles leads to highly inhomogeneous stress fields. The stress probability density functions are increasingly wider for a decreasing matrix volume fraction, the stresses being more and more concentrated in the interparticle contact zones with an exponential distribution as in cohesionless granular media. Under uniaxial loading, pronounced asymmetry can occur between tension and compression both in strength and in the initial stiffness as a result of the presence of bare contacts (with no matrix interposed) between the particles. Damage growth is analyzed by considering the evolution of stiffness degradation and the number of broken bonds in the particle phase. A brutal degradation appears in tension as a consequence of brittle fracture in contrast to the more progressive nature of damage growth in compression. We also carry out a detailed parametric study in order to assess the combined influence of the matrix volume fraction and particle-matrix adherence. Three regimes of crack propagation can be distinguished corresponding to no particle damage, particle abrasion and particle fragmentation, respectively. We find that particle damage scales well with the relative toughness of the particle-matrix interface with respect to the particle toughness. This relative toughness is a function of both matrix volume fraction and particle-matrix adherence and it appears therefore to be the unique control parameter governing transition from soft to hard behavior.     

Crystallographic variant selection of martensite at high stress/strain

The phenomenological theory of martensitic transformation is well understood that the displacive phase transformations are mainly influenced by the externally applied stress. Martensitic transformation occurs with 24 possible Kurdjomov-Sachs (K-S) variants, where each variant shows a distinct lattice orientation. The elegant transformation texture model of Kundu and Bhadeshia for crystallographic variant selection of martensite in metastable austenite at various stress/strain levels has been assessed in this present research. The corresponding interaction energies have also been evaluated. Encouraging correlation between model prediction and experimental data generation for martensite pole figures at many deformed austenite grains has been observed at different stress/strain levels. It has been investigated that the mechanical driving force alone is able to explain the observed martensite microtextures at all stress/strain levels under uniaxial tensile deformation of metastable austenite under low temperature at a slow strain rate. The present investigation also proves that the Patel and Cohen’s classical theory can be utilized to predict the crystallographic variant selection, if it is correctly used along with the phenomenological theory of martensite crystallography.     

Softening micromechanical constitutive model of stress induced martensite transformation for NiTi single crystal shape memory alloy

Based on the assumption of laminated microstructure, a micromechanical model of stress induced martensite transformation for NiTi shape memory alloys single crystal is proposed. Elasticity anisotropy and different proper-ties for two phases are considered. Martensite volume fraction is chosen as the internal variable that controls the phase transformation quantitatively. An effective macroscopic elasticity matrix based on the different elasticity characteristics of each phase and the martensite volume fraction are obtained with the help of the perfect interfa-cial relationships. A phase transformation driving force is derived to construct the transformation criterion. The model corresponds to a non-convexity free energy function during phase transformation, so softening behavior can be well simulated by the model. A numerical simulation is implemented for the uniaxial loading of NiTi single crystal alloy according to the model, and simulation results are proved by experimental results of polycrystal with strong {111} texture. Superelasticity, Anisotropy, the evolution of microstructure and softening behavior can be well simulated.     

Crystallographic variant selection of martensite during fatigue deformation

Metastable austenitic stainless steels are prone to form deformation-induced martensite under the influence of externally applied stress. Crystallographic variant selection during martensitic transformation of metastable austenite has been investigated thoroughly with respect to the interaction between the applied uniaxial cyclic stress and the resulting accumulated plastic strain during cyclic plastic deformation. The orientation of all the Kurdjomov–Sachs (K-S) variants has been evaluated extensively and compared with the measured orientation of martensite with their corresponding interaction energies by applying the elegant transformation texture model recently developed by Kundu and Bhadeshia. Encouraging correlation between model prediction and experimental data generation for martensite pole figures at many deformed austenite grains has been observed. It has been found that both the applied uniaxial cyclic stress and the accumulated plastic strain are having strong influence on crystallographic variant selection during cyclic plastic deformation. Patel and Cohen’s classical theory can be utilized to predict the crystallographic variant selection, if it is correctly used along with the phenomenological theory of martensite crystallography.     

Relationship between acoustic emission energy and the kinetics of martensite formation in plain carbon steels

The kinetics of the martensitic transformation in Fe-0.80C determined on the basis of dilatometry data is compared to the acoustic emission (AE) energy accompanying the transformation in the same steel reported in a previous study. The discrepancy between the AE energy and the volume fraction of martensite indicates that the mechanism for the generation of AE during the martensitic transformation is not solely dependent on the kinetics and the associated moving interfaces as suggested in previous studies. During the growth of martensite, slip takes place in order to relieve internal stresses, and dislocations are thought to be mainly introduced in the relatively soft austenite matrix. The quantitative analysis in this study demonstrates that the AE energy generated per unit time is a function of both the transformation kinetics and the volume fraction of remaining austenite. This strongly indicates that the moving dislocations associated with the plastic deformation of the austenite surrounding the as-formed martensite are the dominant sources of the generated acoustic waves. This improved AE source model is consistent with the well-accepted mechanism of AE during conventional plastic deformation due to an external load.     

In-situ strain localization analysis in low density transformation-twinning induced plasticity steel using digital image correlation

The effect of deformation temperature on the strain localization has been evaluated by an adapted digital image correlation (DIC) technique during tensile deformation. The progress of strain localization was traced by the corresponding strain maps. The electron backscatter diffraction analysis and tint etching technique were utilized to determine the impact of martensitic transformation and deformation twinning on the strain localization in both elastic and plastic regimes. In elastic regime the narrow strain bands which are aligned perpendicular to the tension direction were observed in temperature range of 25 to 180 °C due to the stress-assisted epsilon martensite. The strain bands were disappeared by increasing the temperature to 300 °C and reappeared at 400 °C due to the stress-assisted deformation twinning. In plastic regime strain localization continued at 25 °C and 180 °C due to the strain-induced alfa-martensite and deformation twinning, respectively. The intensity of plastic strain localization was increased by increasing the strain due to the enhancement of martensite and twin volume fraction. The plastic strain showed more homogeneity at 300 °C due to the lack of both strain-induced martensite and deformation twinning.     

Characterisation of case depth in induction-hardened medium carbon steels based on magnetic minor hysteresis loop measurement technique

Abstract

The magnetic hysteresis behaviours of ferromagnetic materials vary with the heat treatment-induced micro-structural changes. In the study, the minor hysteresis loop measurement technique was used to quantitatively characterise the case depth in two types of medium carbon steels. Firstly, high-frequency induction quenching was applied in rod samples to increase the volume fraction of hard martensite to the soft ferrite/pearlite (or sorbite) in the sample surface. In order to determine the effective and total case depth, a complementary error function was employed to fit the measured hardness-depth profiles of induction-hardened samples. The cluster of minor hysteresis loops together with the tangential magnetic field (TMF) were recorded from all the samples and the comparative study was conducted among three kinds of magnetic parameters, which were sensitive to the variation of case depth. Compared to the parameters extracted from an individual minor loop and the distortion factor of the TMF, the magnitude of three-order harmonic of TMF was more suitable to indicate the variation in case depth. Two new minor-loop coefficients were introduced by combining two magnetic parameters with cumulative statistics of the cluster of minor-loops. The experimental results showed that the two coefficients monotonically linearly varied with the case depth within the carefully selected magnetisation region.     

时效时间对FeNiAlTa形状记忆合金组织结构和性能的影响

本文以 Fe_59.5Ni₂₈Al_11.5Ta₁ 形状记忆合金为研究对象, 采用金相显微镜、X 射线衍射仪、扫描电镜、能谱仪和压力试验机等研究了轧制后不同时 效时间处理对该合金组织结构和性能的影响. 结果表明, 随着时效的进行, γ’ 相和 β’ 相的相继析出, 强化了奥氏体基体. 综合伪弹性曲线看出, 随着时效时间的增加, 600 ℃时效态合金的应力诱发马氏体临界应力先减小后增大, 合金的抗压强度、可恢复的应变和硬度都先增大后减小, 合金的残余应变则先减小后增大, 时效时间为 60 h 时, 合金的抗压强度最大, 到达1306 MPa, 此时合金的可恢复形变最大, 达到14.9%, 合金的硬度也最大, 合金的残余应变相对最小. 但随着时效时间的延长, 合金的最大应变逐渐减小, 合金塑性逐渐减小. Fe_59.5Ni₂₈Al_11.5Ta₁ 形状记忆合金的性能与沉淀相的颗粒大小、分布、体积分数等因素有关. 关键词： 59.5Ni₂₈Al_11.5Ta₁')" href="#">Fe_59.5Ni₂₈Al_11.5Ta₁ 时效处理 伪弹性 硬度     

Laser surface treatment of tool steels

Laser surface treatment is a promising technique for improving the wear and corrosion resistance of materials. In the case of tool steels, laser surface treatment is preferably carried out in the liquid state to allow for complete dissolution of carbides. This paper concerns the application of laser melting to the surface treatment of AISI 420 and 440C martensitic stainless steels and sintered AISI T15 high-speed steel. Usually, laser-melted tool steels contain martensite, retained austenite and carbides. In steels containing large proportions of ferrite-forming alloying elements, -ferrite may also be observed. When applied to sintered steels, laser treatment leads to the elimination of residual porosity. The proportion of retained austenite in laser-melted steels is much higher than in conventionally treated steels. However, the hardness is high because austenite is strengthened by solid solution, dislocations and small grain size. The high volume fraction of retained austenite usually prohibits the application of tool steels in the laser-treated condition. Austenite may be eliminated by multiple tempering treatments at temperatures in the range 550–650°C. During tempering, carbides precipitate within austenite and martensite, and austenite transforms to martensite on cooling or isothermally to ferrite. Strong secondary hardening is often observed and the temperature of the secondary hardening peak of laser-surface-melted steels is higher than after conventional heat treatment.     

Creep deformation of single crystals of new Co–Al–W-based alloys with fcc/L12 two-phase microstructures

The creep deformation behaviour of single crystals of Co–Al–W-based alloys with γ?+?γ′ two-phase microstructures has been investigated in tension under a constant stress of 137?MPa in air at 1000°C as a function of the γ′ solvus temperature and the volume fraction of the γ′ phase. When described by the creep strain rate versus time curve, the creep deformation of Co–Al–W-based alloys consists of transition and accelerating regions without a steady-state region, as observed in many modern nickel-based alloys. However, the creep strength of the present Co–Al–W-based alloys is comparable with nickel-based superalloys of the first generation but is much weaker than those of the second and higher generations. Unlike in nickel-based superalloys, the so-called p (parallel)-type raft structure, in which the γ′ phase is elongated along the tensile axis direction, is formed during creep in Co–Al–W-based alloys, being consistent with what is expected from the positive values of lattice misfit between the γ and γ′ phases. As a result, of the alloys investigated, the best creep properties are obtained with the alloy possessing the highest volume fraction (85%) of the γ′ phase, which is far larger than usual for nickel-based superalloys (55–60%).     

Scaling relationships in sharp conical indentation of shape memory alloys

Based on dimensional analysis and finite element calculations, several scaling relationships in the indentation of shape memory alloys with a sharp conical indenter were obtained. These scaling relationships illustrate the dependence of the indentation response on the material properties of shape memory alloys, such as phase transition and plastic deformation. It is shown that the yield stress and strain-hardening exponent of transformed martensite play important roles in the indentation response, in addition to the phase transition properties. Additionally, the general relationships between indentation hardness and phase transition stress, maximum transition strain, martensite yield stress and the strain-hardening exponent of shape memory alloys were obtained. The results show that the indentation hardness of shape memory alloys is not proportional to the phase transition stress or to the martensite yield stress, and cannot be used directly to measure the phase transition stress or the yield stress of shape memory alloys.     

Grain refinement and strengthening of austenitic stainless steels during large strain cold rolling

The microstructure/texture evolution and strengthening of 316?L-type and 304?L-type austenitic stainless steels during cold rolling were studied. The cold rolling was accompanied by the deformation twinning and micro-shear banding followed by the strain-induced martensitic transformation, leading to nanocrystalline microstructures consisting of flattened austenite and martensite grains. The fraction of ultrafine grains can be expressed by a modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov equation, while inverse exponential function holds as a first approximation between the mean grain size (austenite or martensite) and the total strain. The deformation austenite was characterised by the texture components of Brass, {011}<211>, Goss, {011}<100>, and S, {123}<634>, whereas the deformation martensite exhibited a strong {223}<110> texture component along with remarkable γ-fibre, <111>∥ND, with a maximum at {111}<211>. The grain refinement during cold rolling led to substantial strengthening, which could be expressed by a summation of the austenite and martensite strengthening contributions.     

Atom probe microanalytical studies of some commercially important steels

The FIM atom probe has been used to study the atomic scale distribution of chemical elements in several important ferrous materials. Microanalysis of patented and drawn pearlitic steel wires reveals the partitioning of alloying elements between the carbide and ferrite phases. Studies of a similar material in the martensitic state show the progressive redistribution of carbon atoms during the martensite ageing process. Accurate phase analysis of a duplex stainless steel confirms and extends previous X-ray microanalytical studies, and reveals details of alloy element partititoning between austenite and ferrite.     

Heterogeneous shear in hard sphere glasses

There is growing evidence that the flow of driven amorphous solids is not homogeneous, even if the macroscopic stress is constant across the system. Via event-driven molecular dynamics simulations of a hard sphere glass, we provide the first direct evidence for a correlation between the fluctuations of the local volume fraction and the fluctuations of the local shear rate. Higher shear rates do preferentially occur at regions of lower density and vice versa. The temporal behavior of fluctuations is governed by a characteristic time scale, which, when measured in units of strain, is independent of shear rate in the investigated range. Interestingly, the correlation volume is also roughly constant for the same range of shear rates. A possible connection between these two observations is discussed.