Visualization of Prior Austenite Grain Boundaries in Low-Carbon Steels

Knowledge of the size of the prior austenite grain is of key importance. If abnormal grain growth occurs during austenitization, the resultant inhomogeneous microstructure may negatively affect the strength and toughness properties of the final product. The visualization of prior austenite grain boundaries with an etchant based on picric acid has been applied for years. Despite this long-time experience, it is often challenging to achieve sufficiently good visualization of prior austenite grain boundaries in many steel grades, especially low-carbon steels. This work will study the effect of the cooling rate from austenitizing temperature down to room temperature, of the subsequent tempering treatment and the etchant on the visualization of prior austenite grain boundaries in a low-carbon microalloyed steel. All these parameters have an impact on the etching result. A suitable etchant for the visualization of prior austenite grain boundaries in a low-carbon microalloyed steel could be found.

Current Understanding of Microstructure and Properties of Micro-Alloyed Low Carbon Steels Strengthened by Interphase Precipitation of Nano-Sized Alloy Carbides: A Review

The current understanding of the microstructural features and mechanical properties of micro-alloyed low carbon steels strengthened by interphase precipitation of nano-sized alloy carbides are critically reviewed in this paper. The experimental results obtained via advanced quantitative characterization have revealed that interphase precipitation is promoted at the ferrite/austenite interface with a relatively lower degree of coherency caused by the deviation from the exact Kurdjumov–Sachs orientation relationship. Its dispersion becomes refined by enlarging the driving force for its precipitation, as adjusted by changing the transformation condition and chemical composition. The occurrence of interphase precipitation can significantly increase the strength of steels due to its large precipitation strengthening, and maintain good ductility as a result of enhanced work-hardening and dynamic recovery in different stages of tensile deformation. Finally, the application of interphase precipitation to ferrite/martensite dual-phase steels, together with our outlook on the challenging points in future research, are briefly explained.

Battery on Carburization ST 37 Steel

A surface hardening process by adding carbon to its surface without changing the core properties of the material is called the carburization process. This process is carried out at the austenite temperature so that the carbon can diffuse into the phase. This process can only be done on low carbon steels with a content of below 0.25%. This research uses ST 37 steel which is a low content steel with a carbon content of 0.18%. This type of steel is surface hardened with a carburizing temperature of 850°C for a long lasting time of 1 hour, then it is carried out under moderate cooling with outside air media. This research produces a carburizing method with carbon battery media that easily breaks down into steel, which occurs in carbon batteries at temperatures below 723°C. And change its mechanical properties from the comparison of the initial mechanical properties of the specimen. Carburizing with battery rock media is more efficient at temperatures below 723°C. Because of at temperatures below austenite or below the carburizing temperature of carbon from the batteries, it can absorb the surface of the steel even though the amount is still very small. Because the temperature is below the austenite temperature, the absorbed carbons cannot diffuse as happened in the carburization process, but the absorbed carbons can bind the grain boundaries so that they change their hardness by 4%. The microstructure in the research that occurs in this process has nothing to change its phase because the temperature does not reach the austenite temperature.