Relationships between the Microstructure, Hardness and Fracture Toughness of Differently Sub-Zero Treated Tool Steel

Abstract

A PM made Cr-V ledeburitic tool steel Vanadis 6 has been subjected to conventional austenitizing and quenching, which was followed by sub-zero treatment at different temperatures, and by tempering treatments. The microstructure, hardness and fracture toughness of sub-zero treated steel have been investigated with reference to the same material after conventional room temperature quenching. The main findings are that sub-zero treatments reduce the retained austenite amount, enhance the population density of small carbides, refine the martensite and change the precipitation of carbides during tempering. These alterations are reflected in elevated hardness after low-temperature tempering but slightly lowered hardness after tempering within the normal secondary hardening temperature range, except the specimens treated at-140 °C where the hardness improvement was maintained. The fracture toughness is rather negatively influence by the sub-zero treatments, except the treatment at-140 °C where no impact or rather improvement has been recorded; thus, the treatment at a temperature of-140 °C seems to be a promising way how to improve the hardness and the fracture toughness pf the Vanadis 6 steel simultaneously.