Influence of Deep Cryogenic Treatment on Fatigue Strength of 100Cr6 Bearing Steel

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the impact of cryogenic treatment on the augmentation of fatigue strength in 100Cr6 steel bearings. The chilling process of a material to -185°C is known as cryogenic treatment, and it improves the material's mechanical as well as physical characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the impact of cryogenic treatment on the dimensional stability enhancement of 100Cr6 bearing steel utilizing DCT (deep cryogenic treatment) at -185°C. The dimensional stability has improved by 13.77 percent as a result of DTC in comparison to conventional heat treatment (CHT). The microstructural investigation reveals that the improvement in dimensional stability is because of the conversion of residual austenite into martensite, as well as the precipitation and dispersion of carbides resulting from the cryogenic treatment. The results of the DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) research performed on the bearing steel samples indicate that the DCT mostly promotes martensite instability by triggering carbon clustering as well as transition carbide precipitation. The DTC showed a higher enhancement in dimensional stability than standard heat treatment because of the more homogenized distribution of carbide and the remaining austenite removal.