Evolution mechanisms of microstructure and mechanical properties in a friction stir welded ultrahigh-strength quenching and partitioning steel

Abstract

Ultrahigh-strength quenching and partitioning (Q&P) steels have attracted strong interests in the auto manufactory, while the comprehensive understanding in the microstructure and mechanical behavior of their welded joints is highly needed to enrich their applications. In the present work, it is designed to make an insight into these imperative conundrums. Equal strength Q&P 1180 steel joints to parent metal were successfully fabricated via friction stir welding (FSW) technique under different parameters. Apparent hardening and softening were observed in stir zone (SZ) and heat-affected zone (HAZ) respectively, whose microstructures strongly depended on the peak temperature and cooling rate during welding. The formation of fresh martensite was the main mechanism for the SZ hardening, while the decomposition of metastable phases played key roles in the microhardness drop of the HAZ. A heat source zone-isothermal phase transition layer model was proposed to clarify the impregnability of the joint strength under parameter variation. The dual-phase structure, nano-carbide particles, tempered initial martensite, and ultrafine-grained ferrite synergistically improved the strain hardening ability of the HAZ, which eventually resulted in the equal strength FSW joints.