Effect of Tempering on Bendability and Impact Property of Hot Rolled Low-Carbon Martensitic Steel

Abstract

We examined the effects of tempering process and alloying elements on the microstucture, tensile properties, bendability and impact property of direct quenched (DQ), and re-austenitizing and quenched (RQ) low-carbon martensitic steels. For this purpose, four low carbon martensitic steels (Fe-0.07C-1.8Mn-Cr-Nb-Ti-B) were selected. We have investigated the effects of tempering temperature and alloying elements of chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti) and niobium (Nb) on mechanical properties and microstructures. Mechanical properties and microstructures were analyzed as well using tensile test, V-bending test, charpy V-notched impact test and electron microscopy for DQ, DQ and tempered (DQ-T), RQ and RQ and tempered (RQ-T) low-carbon martensitic steels. It has been found that the as-quenched microstructures of the DQ and RQ specimens were fully martensitic structure. Prior austenite grain size and effective grain size after quenching were larger in the case of RQ steel. In both cases, tempering made the needle-shaped carbides. It is shown that the strength decreased when the tempering temperature increased. The strengths of the DQ and DQ-T steels were 30~50MPa higher than those of the RQ and RQ-T steels. Despite the higher strength of the DQ and DQ-T states, both had similar impact properties with the RQ and RQ-T states. However, the impact properties of the Nb added RQ and RQ-T steels with fine martensite morphology exhibited higher than those of DQ and DQ-T steels.