Nanoscale Cementite Precipitates and Comprehensive Strengthening Mechanism of Steel

Abstract

This article summarizes the state of the art of the comprehensive strengthening mechanism of steel. By using chemical phase analysis, X-ray small-angle scattering (XSAS), room temperature organic (RTO) solution electrolysis and metal embedded sections micron-nano-meter characterization method, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation, the properties of nanoscale cementite precipitates in Ti microalloyed high-strength weathering steels produced by the thin slab continuous casting and rolling process were analyzed. Except nanoscale TiC, cementite precipitates with size less than 36 nm and high volume fraction were also found in Ti microalloyed high-strength weathering steels. The volume fraction of cementite with size less than 36 nm is 4.4 times as much as that of TiC of the same size. Cementite with high volume fraction has a stronger precipitation strengthening effect than that of nanoscale TiC, which cannot be ignored. The precipitation strengthening contributions of nanoscale precipitates of different types and sizes should be calculated, respectively, according to the mechanisms of shearing and dislocation bypass, and then be added with the contributions of solid solution strengthening and grain refinement strengthening. A formula for calculating the yield strength of low-carbon steel was proposed; the calculated yield strength considering the precipitation strengthening contributions of nanoscale precipitates and the comprehensive strengthening mechanism of steels matches the experimental results well. The calculated σ s = 630 to 676 MPa, while the examined σ s = 630 to 680 MPa. The reason that “ultrafine grain strengthening can not be directly added with dislocation strengthening or precipitation strengthening” and the influence of the phase transformation on steel strength were discussed. The applications for comprehensive strengthening theory were summarized, and several scientific questions for further study were pointed out.