Abstract
The locus of the micro-structural phase boundaries and their respective volumetric fraction during the quench of the high-temperature austenite critically determines the resulted physical and mechanical properties. We have developed a new numerically dynamic framework and we have established analytical relationships, which combined with the experimental measurements, could predict the real-time formation of the equivalent phase borders and their marginal evolution within the steel ball throughout the quenching process. In this regard, the transient behavior of the temperature is computed upon quenching where the threshold of phase transformation, obtained from our experimental data, is tracked as the locus of the earliest formation of phase boundaries. Our parametric analysis predicts the role of the scale (i.e. radius) of the steel ball and the initial and quench (i.e. final) temperatures and additionally anticipates the onsets of parameters, where one and two of the phases cease to exist. The model could get utilized for the design of the quench parameters to obtain the desired mechanical properties from the original austenite state.
Highlights
Quench process is mainly used for hardening the steel by undergoing martensite transformation, where high-temperature austenite is rapidly cooled down through its eutectoid point, leading to destabilization [1, 2]
We develop a 3D simulation framework for the formation of the microstructures from the original austenite in the spherical geometry, resembling the steel balls utilized in the mining industry
The complementary numerical and analytical frameworks are developed for quantifying the evolution of the equivalent phases boundaries of Pearlite/Bainite rP and Bainite/Martensite rB upon quenching of the steel ball
Summary
Quench process is mainly used for hardening the steel by undergoing martensite transformation, where high-temperature austenite is rapidly cooled down through its eutectoid point, leading to destabilization [1, 2]. This is a typical method resulting in the production of martensite steel [3] and the proper thermal treatment is needed to obtained the desired mechanical properties [4, 5]. Other phases could get generated via continuous temperature variation [11, 12]
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