Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-94d59 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T08:14:36.625Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Interactive formation of Cu-rich precipitate, reverted austenite, and alloyed carbide during partial austenite reversion treatment for high-strength low-alloy steel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2017

Qingdong Liu
Affiliation:
Institute of Materials Modification and Modelling, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China; and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
Chuanwei Li
Affiliation:
Institute of Materials Modification and Modelling, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
Jianfeng Gu*
Affiliation:
Institute of Materials Modification and Modelling, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China; and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: gujf@sjtu.edu.cn
Get access

Abstract

We address the competitive precipitation and coprecipitation of three types of secondary phases, i.e., Cu-rich precipitates (CRPs), reverted austenite (RA), and alloyed carbide, in a high-strength low-alloy steel with austenite reversion treatment at 675 °C by using electron back-scatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography. There is a strong competitive diffusion of Ni and Cu participating in austenite reversion and Cu precipitation with the fact that no CRPs are detected in and around the RA. Meanwhile, there is also a strong competitive diffusion of austenite stabilizing element Ni and carbide-forming elements Cr and Mo into the pre-existing C-rich zone, leading to the formation of nonequilibrium alloyed carbide deviating from the stoichiometric composition. On the other hand, the alloyed carbide and CRPs provide constituent elements for each other and make the coprecipitation thermodynamically favorable. The knowledge on the interactive formation of these three features provides versatile access to tailor the distributional morphology of CRPs, RA, and alloyed carbide via a multistage heat treatment and thus realize their beneficial effect on strength and toughness.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Jürgen Eckert

References

REFERENCES

Czyryca, E.J., Link, R.E., Wong, R.J., Aylor, D.A., Montem, T.W., and Gudas, J.P.: Development and certification of HSLA-100 steel for naval ship construction. Nav. Eng. J. 102, 6382 (1990).Google Scholar
Paules, J.R.: Developments in HSLA steel products. JOM 43, 4144 (1991).Google Scholar
Wilson, A.D., Hamburg, E.G., Colvin, D.J., Thompson, S.W., and Krauss, G.: Microalloyed HSLA Steels (World Materials Congress, Chicago, 1988); pp. 259275.Google Scholar
Miglin, M.T., Hirth, J.P., Rosenfield, A.R., and Clark, W.A.T.: Microstructure of a quenched and tempered Cu-bearing high-strength low-alloy steel. Metall. Trans. A 17, 791798 (1986).Google Scholar
Ritchie, R.O.: The conflicts between strength and toughness. Nat. Mater. 10, 817822 (2011).Google Scholar
Fine, M.E., Vaynman, S., Isheim, D., Chung, Y-W., Bhat, S.P., and Hahin, C.H.: A new paradigm for designing high-fracture-energy steels. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 41, 33183325 (2010).Google Scholar
Ahn, Y.S., Kim, H.D., Byun, T.S., Oh, Y.J., Kim, G.M., and Hong, J.H.: Application of intercritical heat treatment to improve toughness of SA508 Cl.3 reactor pressure vessel steel. Nucl. Eng. Des. 194, 161177 (1999).Google Scholar
Chen, Y.Y., Cheng, B.G., and Liu, D.S.: Effect of intercritical quenching on properties and microstructure evolution of NV-F690 steel. Heat Treat. Met. 37, 7782 (2012). (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Liu, Q.D., Wen, H.M., Zhang, H., Gu, J.F., Li, C.W., and Lavernia, E.J.: Effect of multistage heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength low-alloy steel. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 47, 19601974 (2016).Google Scholar
Fultz, B., Kim, J.I., Kim, Y.H., Kim, H.J., Fior, G.O., and Morris, J.W. Jr: The stability of precipitated austenite and the toughness of 9Ni steel. Metall. Trans. A 16, 22372249 (1985).Google Scholar
Othen, P.J., Jenkins, M.L., Smith, G.D.W., and Phythian, W.J.: Transmission electron microscope investigations of the structure of copper precipitates in thermally-aged Fe–Cu and Fe–Cu–Ni. Philos. Mag. Lett. 64, 383391 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kolli, R.P. and Seidman, D.N.: The temporal evolution of the decomposition of a concentrated multicomponent Fe–Cu-based steel. Acta Mater. 56, 20732088 (2008).Google Scholar
Kolli, R.P., Mao, Z.G., Seidman, D.N., and Keane, D.T.: Identification of a Ni0.5(Al0.5−x Mn x ) B2 phase at the heterophase interfaces of Cu-rich precipitates in an α-Fe matrix. Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 241903 (2007).Google Scholar
Nakada, N., Tsuchiyama, T., Takaki, S., Ponge, D., and Raabe, D.: Transition from diffusive to displacive austenite reversion in low-alloy steel. ISIJ Int. 53, 22752277 (2013).Google Scholar
Wei, R., Enomoto, M., Hadian, R., Zurob, H.S., and Purdy, G.R.: Growth of austenite from as-quenched martensite during intercritical annealing in an Fe–0.1C–3Mn–1.5Si alloy. Acta Mater. 61, 697707 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, M.K., Beaven, P.A., and Smith, G.D.W.: A study of the early stages of tempering of iron-carbon martensites by atom probe field ion microscopy. Metall. Trans. A 12, 11971204 (1981).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomson, R.C. and Miller, M.K.: Carbide precipitation in martensite during the early stages of tempering Cr- and Mo-containing low alloy steels. Acta Mater. 46, 22032213 (1998).Google Scholar
Janovec, J., Vyrostkova, A., and Svoboda, M.: Influence of tempering temperature on stability of carbide phases in 2.6Cr–0.7Mo–0.3V steel with various carbon content. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 25, 267275 (1994).Google Scholar
Wang, X.J., Sha, G., Shen, Q., and Liu, W.Q.: Age-hardening effect and formation of nanoscale composite precipitates in a NiAlMnCu-containing steel. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 627, 340347 (2015).Google Scholar
Mulholland, M.D. and Seidman, D.N.: Nanoscale co-precipitation and mechanical properties of a high-strength low-carbon steel. Acta Mater. 59, 18811897 (2011).Google Scholar
Kolli, R.P. and Seidman, D.N.: Co-precipitated and collocated carbides and Cu-rich precipitates in a Fe–Cu steel characterized by atom-probe tomography. Microsc. Microanal. 20, 17271739 (2014).Google Scholar
Zhang, Z.W., Liu, C.T., Miller, M.K., Wang, X., Wen, Y.R., Fujita, T., Hirata, A., Chen, M.W., Chen, G., and Chin, B.A.: A nanoscale co-precipitation approach for property enhancement of Fe-base alloys. Sci. Rep. 3, 1327 (2013).Google Scholar
Miller, M.K.: Atom Probe Tomography: Analysis at the Atomic Level, 1st ed. (Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 1999).Google Scholar
Nakada, N., Tsuchiyama, T., Takaki, S., and Hashizume, S.: Variant selection of reversed austenite in lath martensite. ISIJ Int. 47, 1271532 (2007).Google Scholar
Watanabe, S. and Kunitake, T.: Formation of austenite grains from prior martensitic structure. Trans. Iron Steel Inst. Jpn. 16, 2835 (1976).Google Scholar
Liu, Q.D. and Zhao, S.J.: Cu precipitation on dislocation and interface in quench-aged steel. MRS Commun. 2, 127132 (2012).Google Scholar
Thompson, S.W. and Krauss, G.: Copper precipitation during continuous cooling and isothermal aging of A710-type steels. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 27, 15731588 (1996).Google Scholar
Liu, Q.D., Liu, W.Q., and Xiong, X.Y.: Correlation of Cu precipitation with austenite-ferrite transformation in a continuously cooled multicomponent steel: An atom probe tomography study. J. Mater. Res. 27, 10601067 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Q.D. and Zhao, S.J.: Comparative study on austenite decomposition and copper precipitation during continuously cooling transformation. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 44, 163171 (2013).Google Scholar
Liu, Q.D., Li, C.W., Gu, J.F., and Liu, W.Q.: Direct observation of Cu interphase precipitation in continuous cooling transformation by atom probe tomography. Philos. Mag. 94, 305315 (2014).Google Scholar
Gorbatov, O.I., Gornostyrev, Y.N., Korzhavyi, P.A., and Ruban, A.V.: Effect of Ni and Mn on the formation of Cu precipitates in α-Fe. Scr. Mater. 102, 1114 (2015).Google Scholar
Isheim, D., Gagliano, M.S., Fine, M.E., and Seidman, D.N.: Interfacial segregation at Cu-rich precipitates in a high-strength low-carbon steel studied on a sub-nanometer scale. Acta Mater. 54, 841849 (2006).Google Scholar
Schober, M., Eidenberger, E., Leitner, H., Staron, P., Reith, D., and Podloucky, R.: A critical consideration of magnetism and composition of (bcc) Cu precipitates in (bcc) Fe. Appl. Phys. A 99, 697704 (2010).Google Scholar
Liu, Q.D., Liu, W.Q., and Zhao, S.J.: Solute behavior in the initial nucleation of V- and Nb-containing carbide. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 42, 39523960 (2011).Google Scholar
Ande, C.K. and Sluiter, M.H.F.: First-principles prediction of partitioning of alloying elements between cementite and ferrite. Acta Mater. 58, 62766281 (2010).Google Scholar
Liu, Q.D., Gu, J.F., and Liu, W.Q.: On the role of Ni in Cu precipitation in multicomponent steels. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 44, 44344439 (2013).Google Scholar
Cerezo, A., Hirosawa, S., Rozdilsky, I., and Smith, G.D.W.: Combined atomic-scale modelling and experimental studies of nucleation in the solid state. Philos. Trans. R. Soc., A 361, 463477 (2003).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Raabe, D., Sandlobes, S., Millan, J., Ponge, D., Assadi, H., Herbig, M., and Choi, P.P.: Segregation engineering enables nanoscale martensite to austenite phase transformation at grain boundaries: A pathway to ductile martensite. Acta Mater. 61, 61326152 (2013).Google Scholar