Simulation of the Peritectic Phase Transition in Fe-C Alloys

In this work, a multi-phase cellular automaton (CA) model is extended for the quantitative simulation of peritectic phase transition. First, the effects of cooling rate/supersaturation and temperature on the peritectic transformation kinetics in Fe-C alloys are investigated by utilizing the present CA model. The CA simulations show that supersaturations in the parent phases (liquid and δ-ferrite) increase the L/γ interface growth velocity remarkably, but tinily for the δ/γ interface migration velocity. There exists a transition supersaturation for isothermal transformations, at which the growth rates of the two interfaces are equal. The transition supersaturation is found to increase with decreasing temperature. Microstructural evolution at different cooling rates during peritectic transformation is simulated using the experimental conditions. At low cooling rates, the δ/γ interface propagates at a higher velocity than the L/γ interface. At high cooling rates, however, the γ-phase grows more into the L-phase with a cellular morphology. Then, the proposed CA model is applied to simulate the microstructural evolution during peritectic reaction. It is observed that the γ-phase propagates along the L/δ interface and finally encircles the δ-phase. Meanwhile, the intervenient γ-phase grows in thickness through peritectic transformation. The CA simulations are compared reasonably well with the experimental data and analytical calculations.

Study of Crack Sensitivity of Peritectic Steels

By comprehensively considering both the high temperature mechanical properties and peritectic transformation during peritectic steel solidification, the strain εCth is proposed to evaluate the crack sensitivity of peritectic steels produced in the brittle temperature range in the present work. The zero ductility temperature (ZDT) and the zero strength temperature (ZST) of Fe–C–0.32Si–1.6Mn–0.01P–0.015S steel under nonequilibrium conditions by taking the effect of the peritectic transformation on the solute segregation into account were calculated by the CK microsegregation model (Clyne–Kurz model) and were compared with the measured data. The comparison results show that this model can well simulate the nonequilibrium solidification process of peritectic steel. Then, based on the calculation of the CK microsegregation model, the strain during the peritectic phase transformation in the brittle temperature range (ZDT < TB < LIT) was calculated under nonequilibrium conditions. The results show that the calculated strain is in good agreement with the actual statistical longitudinal crack data indicating that the strain can therefore be used to predict the crack sensitivity of peritectic steels effectively.

PHASE EQUILIBRIUM IN THE Sb2Te3-HoTe3 SYSTEM

The phase equilibrium of the Sb2Te3-HoTe3 system was studied by means of physical and chemical analysis methods DTA, RFA, MQA, as well as density and microhardness measurements, and its phase diagram was constructed. It has been determined that the Sb2Te3-HoTe3 system is a partial quasi-binary cross section of the ternary Bi-Ho-Te system. The system undergoes a process of eutectic equilibrium and peritectic transformation. In the Sb2Te3-HoTe3 system at room temperature, of the based Sb2Te3 solid solutions extend to 4.5 mol % and of the based HoTe3 solid solutions have practically not been established.

PHASE EQUILIBRIUM IN THE As2Te3-Cu2Cr4Te7 SYSTEM

The alloys of the As2Te3-Cu2Cr4Te7 system were investigated by methods of physicochemical analyzes (DTA, XRD, MSA, as well as density and microhardness measurements) and its phase diagram was constructed. Studies have shown that the As2Te3-Cu2Cr4Te7 system is a partially quasi-binary section of the As2Te3-Cr2Te3-CuTe quasiternary system. In a system at room temperature based on As2Te3, solid solutions reach 3.5 mol %, and based on the Cu2Cr4Te7 solid solutions reach up to 17 mol %. Eutectic equilibrium and peritectic transformation occur during chemical interactions between As2Te3 and Cu2Cr4Te7 compounds in the system.

Effect of Magnesium Treatment on the Hot Ductility of Ti-Bearing Peritectic Steel

Surface cracking is a major defect in the production of continuous casting slabs of peritectic steel. The difference in crystal structure between δ phase (before peritectic transformation of steel) and γ phase (after peritectic transformation) results in volume contraction, which leads to uneven cooling of mold and thus forming slab shells with different thicknesses. Then, coupled with the concentration of local stress, surface cracking occurs on slabs. In this paper, the effect of magnesium treatment on the hot ductility of Ti-bearing peritectic steel was studied, and the characteristics of solidification structure and TiN particles were analyzed. Magnesium treatment for Ti-bearing peritectic steel could significantly improve the hot ductility of continuous casting slabs by refining the original austenite structure. After the magnesium treatment, the average grain size of the original austenite of peritectic steel decreased by about 18.7%, and the size of Mg-rich TiN particles decreased by about 41%. In addition, the minimum reduction of area at the third brittle zone after the magnesium treatment was higher than 60%, and the fracture appearance changed from intergranular fracture to ductile fracture after the treatment. The contents of Mg, Ti, O, and N in peritectic steel and the cooling conditions were adjusted reasonably to promote the formation of highly dispersed Mg-rich TiN particles with a sufficient number density and a proper size in the initial solidification stage of peritectic steel, so as to induce the high-temperature δ-ferrite nucleation. Based on the fine δ structure formed by peritectic transformation, through the use of structure heredity and the pinning effect of secondary-precipitated nano TiN particles on the austenite grain boundary, a fine and dense original austenite structure could be obtained to improve the hot ductility of peritectic steel. Industrial tests showed that through the magnesium treatment, the surface cracks of Ti-bearing peritectic steel were effectively restrained, and the corner cracks of slabs were basically eliminated.

Analysis of Peritectic Transformation Contraction of 304 Stainless Steel Using Surface Roughness

Peritectic transformation contraction of ferrite to austenite plays an important role in the formation of cracks for steels. In order to evaluate the peritectic transformation contraction of steels at the initial solidification, the solidification of 304 stainless steel under different cooling rates were carried out by using high temperature laser confocal microscopy, and then the surface roughness and peritectic transformation contraction were analysed in combination with the microstructure of solidified steel. The result shows that the solidification model of 304 stainless steel was ferrite-austenite model in the experiments, and peritectic transformation occurred during solidification. The residual ferrite in the as-cast structure were vermicular, skeletal and reticular in turn with the increase of cooling rate. The volume contraction caused by peritectic transformation resulted in wrinkles (surface roughness) appearing on the grain surface. The peritectic transformation contraction that was affected by surface roughness increased first and then decreased with cooling rate increasing, indicating the peritectic transformation contraction can be evaluated by the surface roughness.