Abstract
To attain an enhanced combination of mechanical properties for low alloyed steel, the current study has been made to fulfill that growing need in the industry. Its results are introduced within this paper. One step Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) heat treatment has been applied on Niobium-based microalloyed steel alloy with 0.2 %C, in the form of 2 mm thickness sheets. The target of this study is to investigate the viability of applying that significantly recommended, results-wise, heat treatment on the highly well-suited alloy steel samples, to achieve the main target of enhanced properties. A single temperature of 275°C was used as quenching and Partitioning temperature. Four Partitioning periods (30, 200, 500, and 1000 Seconds) were used for soaking at the same temperature. The results were analyzed in the light of microstructural investigation and mechanical testing. All applied cycles did not enhance the strength but moderately improved the ductility and toughness, mainly caused by the slightly high soaking temperature used. Niobium impact of grain refining was apparent through all cycles. The cycle of 500 Seconds Partitioning time obtained optimum values at that particular temperature. The 1000 Seconds Cycle obtained the worst combination of properties. A set of recommendations are set. More research is required at this point, where a lower Partitioning temperature is advised. In the light of the applied combination of parameters, the Partitioning period at such temperature is advised to be between 500 and 1000 Seconds. A high probability that periods closer to 500 than 1000 Seconds will produce better results. More research is needed between those two values of Partitioning time to precisely determine the optimum time at that temperature on that specific alloy.
Highlights
The steel-based industry in general and the Automotive industry always aspired to continuously enhance mechanical properties, such as strength, ductility, toughness, and other relevant properties
The optical micrographs indicated that increasing Partitioning time from 30 to 1000 Seconds displayed a slight change in the morphology and size of fine coexisted phases
The developed Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) steel has exhibited maximum elongation and strength-elongation balance (Toughness) of about 19% and 7983 MPa% with an ultimate tensile strength value of 427 MPa when partitioned for 500 Seconds
Summary
The steel-based industry in general and the Automotive industry always aspired to continuously enhance mechanical properties, such as strength, ductility, toughness, and other relevant properties. That combination of properties is the interpretation of the persistent need for better fuel efficiency, and higher passenger safety, which are the significant targets concerning Automotive industry development. The Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) are a product of that research. The high fulfillment capability and promising potential of AHSS towards the industry’s defined needs are the reason for that increase of use. Using AHSS in the Automotive industry provided a combination of enhanced properties [1] [2], such as high strength, high formability (ductility), high capacity of energy absorption, lower vehicle weight, more economical fuel consumption, lower cost, enhanced crash resistance, and higher passenger safety. Based on that combination of privileges, AHSS are deployed within the Automotive industry in several places through the vehicle body [1] [2] [3], such as Body In White components (BIW), sills, reinforcements in the bumper, hood, doors, and other parts
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