Effect of Austenitizing Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Semi-High-Speed Steel Cold-Forged Rolls

Abstract

The effect of austenitizing temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of semi-high-speed steel (S-HSS) cold-forged rolls was investigated. Low-temperature austenitizing below 1313 K induced carbide coarsening during subsequent tempering at 973 K due to the nucleation effect of undissolved M7C3. On the other hand, the heavy dissolution of M7C3 above 1353 K caused the fine carbide formation on lath and plate boundaries, which retarded the subgrain growth during tempering. The increase in strength with increasing austenitizing temperature was attributed to the fine carbide distribution and the high dislocation density. Furthermore, as the austenitizing temperature increased, the impact energy markedly reduced, due to the large prior austenite grain size and the high strength. Finally, based on the microstructure and mechanical properties, an optimal austenitizing temperature range between 1313 and 1333 K was determined.