Bainitic Structure Research Articles

Study and Characterisation of Bimetallic Structure (316LSI and S275JR) Made by Hybrid CMT WAAM Process

The main objective of this research is to conduct an experimental investigation of the bimetallic material formed by 316LSI stainless steel and S275JR structural steel, produced via hybrid wire arc additive manufacturing technology with cool metal transfer welding and machining, and with the objective of being able to reduce the industrial cost of certain requirements for one of the materials. A methodological investigation has been carried out starting with welding beads of 316LSI on S275JR plates, followed by overlapping five beads and conducting final experiments with several vertical layers, with or without intermediate face milling. The results achieved optimal bead conditions for wire speeds of 4 m/min and 5 m/min at a travel speed of 400 mm/min. Overlap experiments show that the best deposition results are obtained with an overlap equal to or greater than 28%. Cooling time does not significantly influence the final geometry of the coatings. Regarding metallographic analysis, the filler material presents an austenitic columnar structure. In the base material, a bainitic structure with inferred grain refinement was detected in the heat-affected zone. An increase in hardness is observed in the heat-affected zone. In the results obtained from the tensile tests of the bimetallic material, an increase in mechanical strength and yield strength is observed in the tested specimens.

تأثير استعمال ليزر النيوديميوم ياك (Nd-YAG) على البنية الدقيقة وصلابة سطح الفولاذ AISI1012

The unique characteristics of the laser beam such as directionality, monochromaticity, and brightness make it a very important tool in the surface treatment engineering. The concentrated heat in the laser beam can be precisely directed toward the processed region on the surface. The laser beam power, beam size, and scanning velocity are easily controlled during the different processing methods. Laser surface modifications of metallic materials, such as laser surface melting, laser surface alloying, and laser cladding are some of the most important methods to improve the mechanical properties of the processed layer on the surface. A pulsed Nd-YAG laser surface melted specimens of low carbon steel with a maximum power of 90W at different processing parameters. The rapid melt and solidification of the treated layer produced a refinement in the microstructure. The original microstructure of this steel (Ferrite + Pearlite) has been transformed to new phases of martensitic and bainitic structures. The melted layer consists of the melted pool, the heat affected zone, and the substrate. The maximum hardness of the laser melted layer is more than 400 HV. The effect of different lasers such as high power CW CO2 laser on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of steel alloys will be carried out in future studies. Keywords: Nd-Yag Laser, Laser surface treatment, Microstructure and hardness of AISI1012 steel

Mechanical and Metallurgical Characteristics of Wire-Arc Additive Manufactured HSLA Steel Component Using Cold Metal Transfer Technique

Recently, the application of wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) for the production of metallic products is gaining traction. WAAM is associated with the direct energy deposition technique and therefore has a higher deposition rate (approximately 4 kg/h). For this reason, it is of greater interest than powder-based additive manufacturing techniques. Industrial applications such as marine and offshore structures and pressure vessels for space programs commonly utilize high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel. HSLA steel components produced by casting methods exhibit defects due to oxidation. Therefore, cold metal transfer (CMT)-WAAM was adopted in this study to fabricate HSLA steel components. The metallurgical properties were analyzed using microscopic and diffraction techniques. The effects of the evolved microstructures on mechanical properties, such as strength, microhardness, and elongation to fracture, were evaluated. To analyze and test the structure, two regions were selected, namely, top and bottom. Microstructural analyses revealed that both regions were primarily composed of acicular ferrite, polygonal ferrite, and bainitic structures. The bottom region exhibited superior mechanical properties compared with the top region. The improved strength at the bottom region can be ascribed to the formation of a high density of dislocations and finer grains.

Corrosion-mechanical destruction of bainite structures in oilfield environments

The main direction in solving the problem of increasing the reliability of field equipment, is the creation of new steels with higher resistance to corrosion-mechanical destruction. Currently, to produce oil and gas pipeline systems, low-carbon, low-alloy steels are used, in which lath carbide-free bainite is formed when quenched in water. Such a structure provides a combination of high strength and resistance to brittle fracture. However, issues of increasing corrosion resistance are still open. The purpose of this work is to identify the structural condition of low-carbon, low-alloy, pipe steels, providing a combination of high mechanical properties with increased corrosion resistance in oilfield environments. The studies were carried out on the latest generation 08KhFA, 08KhFMA and 05KhGB steels, most popular when manufacturing oil and gas pipelines. Samples for the study were cut from the pipes and quenched from the austenite region in water, which formed the structure of lath carbide-free bainite. The quenched samples were tempered at temperatures of 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700°C. To identify the relationship between the morphology of bainite structures and their properties, the samples after quenching and tempering at each temperature, were subjected to metallographic analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, mechanical tests, and corrosion resistance tests. The work shows the sequence of structure transformation, temperature ranges of phase and structural transformations, changes in mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance that occur during tempering of lath carbide-free low-carbon bainite. It is shown that tempering of lath carbide-free bainite (08KhFA, 08KhMFA and 05KhGB steels) does not affect the rate of carbon dioxide corrosion. It has been found that medium tempering forms the structural condition of carbide-free low-carbon lath bainite providing a combination of high mechanical properties and high corrosion resistance in oil field environments. For each of the steels under study, the authors give recommended heat treatment modes.

Variations of VHCF Characteristics by Microstructure of a Spring Steel to UNSM Treatment

<i>The bainitic structure resulting from the austempering of spring steel exhibits high strength and ductility. On the other hand, there appears to be no study on the effects of very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) and ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) of this bainite structure. Therefore, this study compared the fatigue properties of VHCF using spring steel with bainitic and martensitic structures and bearing steel data. This study analyzed the characteristics of microstructure transformation associated with the heat treatment cycles and studied and evaluated the fatigue strength characteristics because of the UNSM in terms of fracture mechanics method and fracture surface analysis through electron backscatter diffraction, scanning electron microscopy fracture analysis, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis. The fatigue limit of UNSM-treated spring steel was improved significantly by approximately 33% to 50% compared to the fatigue test results of the untreated material in the VHCF. In the long life range of bainized spring steel, fish-eye cracks appear in the form of the fine granular area, and fatigue cracks occur in the form of fish-eye cracks that occur in the bainite facet and matrix, resulting in a significant increase in fatigue strength and fatigue life.</i>

Influence of Immersion Orientation on Microstructural Evolution and Deformation Behavior of 40Cr Steel Automobile Front Axle during Oil Quenching.

This study employs the finite element method to investigate the microstructural evolution and deformation behavior of a 40Cr steel automobile front axle during the quenching process. By establishing a multi-physics field coupling model, the study elucidates the variation patterns of the microstructure field in the quenching process of the front axle under different immersion orientations. It is found that along the length direction, the bainite and martensite structures decrease from the center to the edge region, while the ferrite structure shows an increasing trend. Additionally, the influence of immersion orientation on the hardness of the front axle's microstructure and deformation behavior is thoroughly discussed. The results indicate that, firstly, when quenched horizontally, the hardness difference among different regions of the front axle is approximately 8.2 HRC, whereas it reaches 10.3 HRC when quenched vertically. Considering the uniformity of the microstructure, the horizontal immersion method is preferable. Secondly, due to the different immersion sequences in different regions of the front axle leading to varying heat transfer rates, as well as the different amounts of martensite structures obtained in different regions, the deformation decreases along the length direction from the center to the edge region. Horizontal immersion quenching, compared to vertical immersion, results in a reduction of approximately 56.2% and 48.9% in deformation on the representative central cross-section (A-A) and the total length of the front axle, respectively. Therefore, considering aspects such as microstructure uniformity and deformation, the horizontal immersion quenching orientation is more favorable.

Fatigue crack growth rate under mixed-mode loading conditions (I+III) of a carbide-free bainitic steel designed for rail applications

Carbide-free bainitic steel was designed for railway infrastructure application, focusing on high-speed and heavy-loaded freight tracks. Considering the complex state of stresses occurring on the rails running surface, mode III plays a significant role in the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks of rails during service. Thus, the Fatigue Crack Growth Rate (FCGR) under mixed-mode loading conditions (I+III) was evaluated. It was revealed, that fatigue lifetime increases with loading angle modes. In the area of fatigue fracture, transgranular cracking mechanisms dominated. For the stable fatigue crack growth, a trend was observed related to the decrease in the fraction of intergranular fracture with the increasing loading angle modes (α). Secondary cracks indicated privileged cracking directions related to the crystallographic structure of bainite. The influence of the mechanical stability of retained austenite during mixed-mode FCGR requires further in-depth research. These studies contribute to understanding the factors influencing the reliability of railway tracks in terms of designing new materials and modeling the rate of crack growth to precise assessment of the life cycle of rails.

Effects of carbon content and heat treatment on wear-resistance and impact properties of novel cast steels with bainitic and martensitic structure

Abstract The traditional material for caterpillar boards is mainly Hadfield steel. The wear resistance of the Hadfield steel cannot be fully exerted due to insufficient work hardening during the operation of the caterpillar board. The effects of carbon content and heat treatment on the wear-resistant and impact properties of a novel caterpillar board cast steels with bainitic and martensitic structures have been investigated. The microstructural observation of worn surface topography was performed by scanning an electronic microscope, and the impact toughness was carried out by an impact tester, in a bid to improve the wear-resistant properties and its impact toughness. The results demonstrate that the hardness and wear-resistant properties of cast steels increase with the increase of carbon content, whereas the impact properties reduce because the brittle phases, such as the carbide precipitation and the martensite, are more. The heat treatment temperature of steels can change the relative ratio of bainitic and martensitic structures, thus affecting the wear-resistant properties of the steels. By controlling the carbon content and heat treatment processing of the steels, the optimal combination of toughness and wear-resistant properties can be achieved. The wear mechanism of dual-phase cast steel was analyzed through wear resistance tests, and it also shows that dual-phase cast steel with bainitic and martensitic structures had better wear-resistance properties compared to the Hadfield steel at low-impact wear conditions.

Effect of double quenching process on Microstructure and Properties of 20CrMoH Alloy Steel

Abstract This article investigates the influence of dual quenching process quenching temperature on the microstructure, hardness, and mechanical properties of 20CrMoH alloy steel through optical metallographic microscopy, Rockwell hardness tester, and universal mechanical testing machine. The results indicate that during the second quenching in the temperature range of 780-880 °C, with the increase of quenching temperature, the tensile strength of 20CrMoH steel shows a rapid increase trend, from 1250MPa to 1550MPa. At this time, the matrix structure gradually evolves from ferrite + bainite structure to bainite + martensite, which is also the main factor for its rapid increase in tensile strength; When the quenching temperature rises to above 850 °C, the influence of quenching temperature on the tensile strength decreases, and the tensile strength remains around 1550MPa. The secondary quenching temperature has little effect on the plasticity of the material. The overall reduction and elongation of the section under different quenching temperature conditions are at a similar level, with a reduction rate of 9% -12% and a stable reduction rate of 50% -60%, indicating good mechanical properties.

Flux enhancement with titanium or vanadium oxides addition for superior submerged arc welding of HSLA steel plates

A high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel plate of 10 mm thickness underwent submerged arc welding with enhanced fluxes containing additional titanium oxide (TiO2) or vanadium oxide (V2O5). The addition of TiO2 led to the development of a finer acicular ferrite structure but coarsening the carbide and martensite/austenite (M/A) constituents, which marginally improved the hardness, tensile strength, and ductility of weld metal. Conversely, incorporating V2O5 facilitated a substantial vanadium absorption (0.7 wt. %) in the weld metal, giving rise to a distinctive acicular microstructure less reliant on ferrite nucleation at non-metallic inclusions than conventional acicular ferrite. The distinctive microstructure, unique to vanadium steels, combined lath bainite with irregularly shaped granular bainite. The resultant dual-mode bainitic structure, coupled with a more uniform distribution of refined microphase constituents, outperformed the conventional acicular ferrite, delivering more than 20% and 13% improvements in yield and tensile strengths respectively, as evidenced by transverse tensile tests on the weld metals.

Метод поєднання ливарного та термічного процесів виготовлення виливків із залізовуглецевих сплавів

With the help of innovations at an industrial enterprise, it is possible to increase labor efficiency and reduce the resource intensity of production. The relevance of the development of the technology of metal casting in sand molds, as the most common casting process, is justified by the fact that up to 80 % of the tonnage of castings is produced in such molds, including special types of casting in molds from sand materials. 60-70 % of the equipment capacities, areas, and personnel of foundry shops are attributed to molding processes, including mixing and rod production. Pollution "due to the mold" can reach up to 80%. A significant potential for the development of foundry mold technology is the improvement of the processes of casting metal into molds made of loose sand without a binding component, in particular, according to the Lost Foam Casting Process (LFC). The authors present the concept of improving the processes of casting metal into molds made of loose sand by the method of dual application of molding materials and give examples of such application. The use of loose molding sand for rapid cooling of the casting, including heat treatment, is able to strengthen its metal and reduce the duration of cooling of the casting in the mold, which leads to an increase in the productivity of foundries without increasing the number of furnace equipment and loose mold filler. The applied method of isothermal hardening (austempering) from the hot state of castings from iron-carbon alloys excludes heating with exposure for austenization of castings, which reduces the cost, time and energy consumption of obtaining products with a strengthened bainite structure, which, in fact, corresponds to the concept of realizing internal reserves as a foundry sand mold, and cast metal. Some foundry enterprises of the Vinnytsia region also use LFC or have concluded contracts, planning to reconstruct their shops for this ecological and economically beneficial foundry technology.

Crystallographic study on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of coarse grained heat affected zone of a 500 MPa grade wind power steel

The effect of different welding heat inputs on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the simulated coarse grained heat affected zone (CGHAZ) of high-strength wind power steel with yield strength of 500 MPa has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Charpy impact tests have demonstrated that there exists an optimum heat input of ∼20 kJ/cm that allows optimum impact toughness to be obtained for the CGHAZ. It was shown that this is related to the refined bainitic structure and the highest density of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) with misorientation angle of more than 45°. In crystallographic visualization studies, it was shown that the weakest variant selection occurs for the bainite transformation in the optimal heat input, leading to the highest density of HAGBs with each Closed-packet group containing two or three Bain groups and showing a staggered arrangement structure. The contribution that can effectively deflect and prevent crack propagation during impact experiments has to come from the block boundary. However, it was also found that the center segregation induced by C and Mn reduces the low-temperature impact toughness of the core sample before and after simulated welding, and affects the fluctuations of impact toughness and fatigue performance of simulated CGHAZ. Mn segregation can have a genetic effect on the welding heat affected zone, inducing a lower temperature martensitic transformation, which in turn leads to a decrease in low-temperature toughness and fatigue crack arrest performance.

Determining Factors of Grain Size in Bainite Structure of Fe–2Mn–C Alloys

Determining Factors of Grain Size in Bainite Structure of Fe–2Mn–C Alloys

Influence of the Isothermal Transformation Temperature on the Structure and Properties of Low-Carbon Steel

Purpose. The study is aimed at evaluating the effect of the isothermal transformation temperature on the structure and properties of low-carbon steel. Methodology. The material for the study was a 3 mm diameter wire made of mild steel with the following chemical composition: 0.21% C, 0.47% Mn, 1.2% Si, 0.1% Cr, 0.03% S, 0.012% P. The 0.3 m long wire samples were subjected to austenitizing at 920 °C for 8...9 min, after which they were held isothermally for 11 min at temperatures of 650...200 °C, followed by cooling in air. The strength, plastic properties, and strain hardening coefficient were determined from the analysis of tensile curves. Findings. It was found that a decrease in the temperature of isothermal transformation, starting from 450...400 °C, increases the amount of Widmannstätten ferrite due to the disappearance of polyhedral ferrite grains. At the same time, the number of areas with locally located dispersed cementite particles similar to pearlite colonies increases, and bainite crystals appear. Against the background of a sharp decrease in the strain hardening coefficient in the range of 450...400 °C, the ability of the bainite phase to undergo plastic deformation should be considered one of the reasons for the delay in density reduction. Originality. The effect of steel hardening with a decrease in the pearlite transformation temperature is based on the grinding of ferrite grains, an increase in the amount of Widmannstätten ferrite, and the dispersion of pearlite colonies. The strengthening effect of steel with a bainite structure is based on an increase in the degree of supersaturation of the solid solution with carbon atoms and dispersion hardening by particles of the carbide phase. Practical value. The optimal structural state of steel intended for the manufacture of such critical elements as a support beam, railroad car bogie, etc. is a mixture of phase components with different dispersion and morphology, and their quantitative ratio is determined by the operating conditions of a particular product.

Mechanical and Fatigue behavior of G22NiMoCr5-6 and G18NiMoCr3-6 used in heavy-duty crawler track plates

G22NiMoCr5-6 and G18NiMoCr3-6 steels are commonly used in the manufacturing of crawler track plates of heavy-duty equipment due to their enhanced mechanical properties which allow them to be suitable for this particular application. This research aims to investigate the mechanical and fatigue behavior of both material grades to evaluate their performance in the manufacturing of heavy-duty crawler track plates. In the present work, experimental investigations were carried out including chemical composition, tensile, hardness, Charpy impact, and low-cycle fatigue tests. Also, metallographic examination was conducted to show the microstructure of both materials. Based on the experimental analysis results, the bainitic structure of G18NiMoCr3-6 was found to have longer fatigue life and higher toughness than the tempered-martensitic structure of G22NiMoCr5-6 which qualifies G18NiMoCr3-6 to be more suitable for manufacturing of heavy-duty crawler track plates than G22NiMoCr5-6 steel.

Study on the relationship between the microstructure characteristics, tensile properties and impact toughness of carbide-free bainitic steel

To understand the relationship between microstructure characteristics, tensile properties, and impact toughness of bainite structure, microstructure characterization, μ-DIC and mechanical tests were carried out on bainitic steel subjected to pre-quenching treatment, followed by austenitizing at 800 °C or 880 °C and then by austempering. The resulting microstructure after austempering is composed of bainite, retained austenite and intercritical ferrite and/or fresh martensite. Compared with 880 °C-austenitized specimen, the final microstructure in the 800 °C-austenitized specimen is significantly refined, and the amount of large martensite/austenite (M/A) islands is also decreased. The finer microstructure of the 800 °C-austenitized specimen results in a relatively uniform strain distribution during the tensile process, delaying the occurrence of tensile necking. In contrast, the strain of the 880 °C-austenitized specimen tends to concentrate at the interface between the bainite region and M/A islands, leading to premature fracture and decreased plasticity. In addition, the smaller retained austenite size in the 800 °C-austenitized specimen enhances its stability, leading to persistent work hardening behavior and improved plasticity. Furthermore, the decrease in the amount of M/A islands in the 800 °C-austenitized specimen reduces the initiation of cracks, and finer packets and blocks increase the proportion of high angle grain boundaries, enhancing the resistance to crack propagation. Therefore, the total absorbed energy and toughness of the 800 °C-austenitized specimen are about twice higher than those of the 880 °C-austenitized specimen.

Microstructural evolution and carbides precipitation behavior and their effects on mechanical property of Nb–Ti microalloyed FB590 steel

Ferrite-bainite dual phase steels have been widely used in automobile manufacturing industry due to their high strength and excellent hole expansion performance. In this study, the effects of coiling temperature on mechanical properties and hole expansion performance of low carbon Nb–Ti micro-alloyed FB590 ferrite-bainite steel have been studied. Additionally, the microstructure evolution and carbide precipitation behavior during hot rolling and coiling processes have been investigated. The influence mechanism of microstructures and carbides on both mechanical properties and hole expansion performance has also been discussed. The results suggest that the fraction of the retained austenite and the martensite decreases gradually with increasing coiling temperatures from 450 °C to 500 °C. The main reason for the formation of martensite and retained austenite in steel CT450 coiled at 450 °C is that the coiling temperature is near the martensitic transformation temperature Ms. Increasing the coiling temperature to 500 °C which is above the Ms leads to ferritic and bainitic structure. The carbides precipitation behavior has been studied by TEM, thermodynamic and kinetics calculation. The results show that the size of the carbides increases with increasing coiling temperatures from 450 °C to 500 °C. Most of the large size carbides above 100 nm with high percent of Ti are the undissolved particles in austenite during slab heating. The medium size particles between 50 nm and 100 nm and enriched in Ti precipitate during rough rolling at higher temperature, while the particles smaller than 50 nm enriched in Nb precipitate during finish rolling and coiling processes. The strength of the steel is effectively increased by the fine carbides and martensite formed at low coiling temperature of 450 °C. With increasing coiling temperature from 450 °C to 500 °C, the steel's strength decreases from 630 MPa to 591 MPa, while the HER are improved from 76.8 % to 119.9 % due to the reduction of martensite and retained austenite. Although the strength is a little reduced due to the coarsening of carbides and reducing of the martensite, the plasticity and hole expansion performance is improved significantly with the coiling temperature of 500 °C.

Revealing intermetallic strengthening in bainitic steel designed for nickel aluminide formation

BainNiAlCu steel was designed to achieve a cementite-free bainitic structure and susceptibility to the formation of intermetallic phases at elevated temperatures. Based on Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) observations, the intermetallic strengthening occurring in the bainitic ferrite matrix was revealed. The B2-ordered phase are rich in Ni, Al, and Cu, which indicates the growth of NiAl/Cu co-precipitates. The intermetallic phase was characterized by a spherical morphology and nanometer size. The micro-segregation of Ni, Al and Cu was observed at the boundaries of cementite particles and the bainitic matrix. The redistribution of atoms during the growth of carbides forms a heterogeneous nickel aluminide nucleation site. Intermetallic strengthening is a promising strategy for controlling the thermal stability of bainitic structures. The results of this research constitute fundamental knowledge regarding the design of ultra-fine, cementite-free bainitic steels subjected to intermetallic strengthening.

Effect of martensitic variant selection on the crystallographic features of bainite/martensite multiphase structure of 42CrMo steel

The multiphase structure of bainite and martensite with different proportions was obtained in 42CrMo steel by controlling the isothermal temperature and isothermal time, and the mechanism of martensitic variant selection on the crystallographic features of materials was studied. The results show that the final microstructure after austempering is a multiphase structure of bainite and martensite, which conforms to the K–S orientation relationship with the parent phase austenite. Under the redistribution of carbon elements and plastic confinement effect, the martensite formed by the post-transformed austenite has stronger variant selectivity than bainite. As the isothermal temperature decreases, the dislocation density of the material increases, which improves the strength of the material. At the same time, the increase of phase transformation driving force and austenite strength weakens the variant selection, resulting in the decrease of grain size and the increase of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs), further improving the strength and plasticity of the material. At a shorter isothermal time, more martensite with stronger variant selectivity reduces HAGBs and decreases the plasticity of the material. Finally, the best matching of strength and plasticity was obtained under the heat treatment process of isothermal temperature and 30 min isothermal time. This study provides a theoretical basis for further improving the product of strength and elongation of 42CrMo multiphase steel.

Refinement of Microstructure and Enhancement of Wear Resistance of Ni–Cr Cast Iron by NbC

This article investigates the influence of niobium addition on the microstructure and properties of Ni–Cr cast iron. In situ observations and analysis of phase precipitation during solidification are conducted through a high‐temperature laser scanning confocal microscope and Thermo‐Calc software. The refining mechanism of the microstructure and the enhancement of wear resistance by NbC are explored. The results indicate that with an increase in Nb content, the precipitation temperature of NbC particles gradually rises. When the niobium content exceeds 0.2%, NbC becomes the first precipitated phase during the solidification of the liquid phase. NbC particles can serve as heterogeneous nucleus for austenite, refining the grain structure of Ni–Cr cast iron. The existence of NbC particles within the grain impedes the elongation of martensite and bainite bundles while providing additional nucleation sites to accelerate the phase transformation. The grain refinement and the obstructive influence of NbC particles collectively induce a more disordered bainitic structure. Moreover, the exceptional hardness of NbC particles effectively safeguards the matrix from abrasion, consequently enhancing the wear resistance of Ni–Cr cast iron.