Abstract
This work aims to investigate the microstructural and thermal properties of as-cast high carbon and high chromium cold work tool steel. The microstructure was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. It was determined that at room temperature the microstructure of the investigated tool steel includes a lamellar network of M7C3 carbide precipitates along grain boundaries of ferrite grains in the base. Thermal diffusivity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the investigated steel alloy were determined in the temperature interval from 25 to 400 °C by using the laser-flash method. Thermal conductivity increases from 24.9 at 25 °C to 26.9 W/m·K at 400 °C. Phase transition temperatures in the temperature region from room temperature to 1250 °C were experimentally determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). One endothermic effect in the temperature interval from 803 to 820 °C, corresponding to the ferrite/austenite phase transformation, was detected during sample heating. Experimental results were compared with the results of phase equilibria calculations obtained from the ThermoCalc software and TCFE6 database.
Highlights
High carbon and high chromium cold work tool steels are extensively used in industry because of their excellent hardenability and high wear resistance [1, 2]
Materials High carbon and high chromium tool steel was produced in an induction furnace and cast into a standard ingot (60 kg, tcast - 1460 °C)
Microstructure and thermal properties of high carbon, high chromium tool steel in the as-cast state were investigated in this work
Summary
High carbon and high chromium cold work tool steels are extensively used in industry because of their excellent hardenability and high wear resistance [1, 2]. Typical applications of these tool steels include shear blades, trimming and cutting tools, blanking dies, punches, forming and bending rolls [1,2,3]. High-carbon and high-chromium steels possess excellent abrasion resistance and a high degree of dimensional stability in heat treatment. They are highly resistant to softening at elevated temperatures and moderately resistant to decarburizing and can be nitrided [4]. Thermal conductivity represents an important thermophysical property of material because it controls the size of the temperature gradients which occur in components during their production and use
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