Abstract
Hot‐forged EA4T steel is fabricated under the air, stack, and sand cooling conditions. Laser scanning confocal microscopy is used to analyze the microstructure. Mechanical properties and fatigue behavior are evaluated. A fatigue fracture appearance is observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The differences in mechanical properties are explored according to microstructure and final fracture feature. Based on dislocation slip, the mechanism of fatigue crack nucleation is revealed. The effect of polygonal ferrite on dislocation slip and cleavage fracture is discussed. Furthermore, the crucial issue affecting the fatigue behavior of EA4T steel under different cooling conditions is found. The sand cooling condition is beneficial to fatigue performance. In contrast, secondary cracks decrease the fatigue lives of the sample under the air cooling condition.
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