Effects of Final Cooling Temperature on Microstructure Transformation and Properties of Q550 Low Carbon Bainite Steel

2020 ◽  
Vol 993 ◽  
pp. 550-558
Author(s):  
Zeng Qiang Man ◽  
Wei Yu ◽  
Huan Yang ◽  
Wen Gao Chang ◽  
Yun Fei Cao

The mechanical properties of low carbon bainite steel are closely related to the microstructure and proportion after phase transformation. The microstructure of the deformed austenite of low carbon bainite steel after isothermal transformation and continuous cooling transformation was studied by thermal simulation test. The metallographic structure was observed by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The metallographic and microhardness were used to judge the microstructure type, and the CCT (continuous cooling transformation) curve and TTT (time-temperature-transformation) curve of the test steel were drawn. It was found that at 700-430 °C isothermal, undergo a variety of medium-temperature microstructure transformations appeared for the test steels, such as ferrite, pearlite, granular bainite and lath bainite. The cooling rate and final cooling temperature have great influence on the type and performance of the final microstructure. The final cooling temperature was controlled at about 515°C. The mixed microstructures of granular bainite (GB) and fine martensite-austenite (M-A) island, a small amount of acicular ferrite and lath bainite were obtained. The yield and tensile strengths of this type of microstructure reached 639 MPa and 750 MPa respectively, the shrinkage rate reached 17%, and the better low-temperature impact performance was realized.

2020 ◽  
Vol 835 ◽  
pp. 58-67
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ali ◽  
Antti J. Kaijalainen ◽  
Jaakko Hannula ◽  
David Porter ◽  
Jukka I. Kömi

The effect of chromium content and prior hot deformation of the austenite on the continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram of a newly developed low-carbon bainitic steel has been studied using dilatometer measurements conducted on a Gleeble 3800 simulator with cooling rates ranging from 2-80 °C/s. After austenitization at 1100 °C, specimens were either cooled without strain or given 0.6 strain at 880 °C prior to dilatometer measurements. The resultant microstructures have been studied using laser scanning confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and macrohardness measurements. CCT and deformation continuous cooling transformation (DCCT) diagrams were constructed based on the dilatation curves, final microstructures and hardness values. Depending on the cooling rate, the microstructures of the investigated steels after cooling from the austenite region consist of one or more of the following microstructural components: lath-like upper bainite, i.e. bainitic ferrite (BF), granular bainite (GB), polygonal ferrite (PF) and pearlite (P). The proportion of BF to GB as well as the hardness of the transformation products decreased with decreasing cooling rate. The cooling rate at which PF starts to appear depends on the steel composition. With both undeformed and deformed austenite, increasing the chromium content led to higher hardenability and refinement of the microstructure, promoting the formation of BF and shifting the ferrite start curve to lower cooling rates. Prior hot deformation shifted the transformation curves to shorter times and higher temperatures and led to a reduction in hardness at the low cooling rates through the promotion of ferrite formation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 194-196 ◽  
pp. 341-346
Author(s):  
Shou Bin Zhang ◽  
Wei Juan Li

The thermal expansion curves are measured by Gleeble-1500 thermomechanical simulator for Cr-Mo steel during continuous cooling transformation at the cooling rate ranging from 1°/s to 90° /s, and CCT curve is also determined; The thermal expansion curves of continuous cooling transformation are measured under the axial compressive stresses (40MPa, 80MPa and 120MPa) at the cooling rates of 50° /s, 70° /s and 90° /s respectively, then the CCT curves with applied compressive stress are determined. The transformation microstructures of steel after continuous cooling with and without stress are observed by SEM and TEM, and the hardness is measured by Vickers hardness tester. The results show that the Bs is increased and Bf is decreased owing to the effect of applied compressive stress; At the meantime the microstructure is also changed, with increasing applied compressive stress, the quantity of granular bainite, bulk ferrite and carbide increase gradually except lath bainite,the lath width of lath bainite becomes narrower gradually, and original grain boundaries become bent from straight; The hardness of transformation structure becomes lower with increasing applied compressive stress exceeding 40Mpa after continuous cooling.


2016 ◽  
Vol 850 ◽  
pp. 905-909
Author(s):  
Yu Liu ◽  
Ai Qing Ma ◽  
Bin Feng

In this paper, the simulation heat affected zone (HAZ) continuous cooling transformation (SHCCT) curve of X90 pipeline steel was drew by using Gleeble 3500 simulator. The results show that the trend of hardening of the weld HAZ of X90 pipeline steel was moderate, and softening tendency was not significant. When cooling rate was between 1°C/s and 10°C/s, the microstructure of X90 pipeline steel weld HAZ were composed of granular bainite and lath bainite. The recommended welding heat input of X90 pipeline steel was between 21kJ/cm and 66.4kJ/cm, and the weld preheating temperature was controlled about 100°C. In conclusion, optimization control measures on the microstructure and properties of X90 pipeline steel weld HAZ are presented by above comprehensive analysis.


Metals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Zong ◽  
Chun-Ming Liu

In order to provide important guidance for controlling and obtaining the optimal microstructures and mechanical properties of a welded joint, the continuous cooling transformation diagram of a new low-carbon Nb-microalloyed bainite E550 steel in a simulated coarse-grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) has been constructed by thermal dilatation method in this paper. The welding thermal simulation experiments were conducted on a Gleeble-3800 thermo-mechanical simulator. The corresponding microstructure was observed by a LEICA DM2700M. The Vickers hardness (HV) and the impact toughness at −40 °C were measured according to the ASTM E384 standard and the ASTM E2298 standard, respectively. The experimental results may indicate that the intermediate temperature phase transformation of the whole bainite can occur in a wide range of cooling rates of 2–20 °C/s. In the scope of cooling rates 2–20 °C/s, the microstructure of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) mainly consists of lath bainite and granular bainite. Moreover, the proportion of lath bainite increased and granular bainite decreased as the cooling rate increasing. There is a spot of lath martensite in the microstructure of HAZ when the cooling rate is above 20 °C/s. The Vickers hardness increases gradually with the increasing of the cooling rate, and the maximum hardness is 323 HV10. When the cooling time from 800 °C to 500 °C (t8/5) is 5–15 s, it presents excellent −40 °C impact toughness (273–286 J) of the CGHAZ beyond the base material (163 J).


2012 ◽  
Vol 1485 ◽  
pp. 83-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Altamirano ◽  
I. Mejía ◽  
A. Hernández-Expósito ◽  
J. M. Cabrera

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present research work is to investigate the influence of B addition on the phase transformation kinetics under continuous cooling conditions. In order to perform this study, the behavior of two low carbon advanced ultra-high strength steels (A-UHSS) is analyzed during dilatometry tests over the cooling rate range of 0.1-200°C/s. The start and finish points of the austenite transformation are identified from the dilatation curves and then the continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams are constructed. These diagrams are verified by microstructural characterization and Vickers micro-hardness. In general, results revealed that for slower cooling rates (0.1-0.5 °C/s) the present phases are mainly ferritic-pearlitic (F+P) structures. By contrast, a mixture of bainitic-martensitic structures predominates at higher cooling rates (50-200°C/s). On the other hand, CCT diagrams show that B addition delays the decomposition kinetics of austenite to ferrite, thereby promoting the formation of bainitic-martensitic structures. In the case of B microalloyed steel, the CCT curve is displaced to the right, increasing the hardenability. These results are associated with the ability of B atoms to segregate towards austenitic grain boundaries, which reduce the preferential sites for nucleation and development of F+P structures.


Crystals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaojun Mao ◽  
Cyril Cayron ◽  
Xiuli Mao ◽  
Rui Cao ◽  
Roland Logé ◽  
...  

The features of α (body-centered cubic) structures were investigated in a low-carbon multicomponent alloy from morphological and crystallographic perspectives. In addition to apparent features of granular bainite and lamellar martensite, a morphological similarity can be found between lath martensite and lath bainite. Therefore, it is of interest to explore possible discrepancies between lath martensite and lath bainite from a crystallographic perspective. These microstructures were obtained by various cooling rates (i.e., water quenching, 5 °C/s, and 0.05 °C/s) and then were characterized by a combination of scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction techniques. It is shown that: (1) Lath martensite (LM) formed in the samples that were water-quenched, and a mixture of LM and lath bainite (LB) and granular bainite (GB) formed in the samples cooled at rates of 5 °C/s and 0.05 °C/s, respectively; (2) A Kurdjumov-Sachs relationship was mostly found in as-quenched martensite, while a Greninger-Troiano relationship represented the orientation relationship of LB and GB; (3) As the cooling rate decreased, the dislocation densities in corresponding microstructures were reduced, while the tendency of variant grouping was enhanced.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document