Effect of Alloying Elements and Microstructure on the Dynamic Strain Aging Behavior of 1.25Cr-0.5Mo and 2.25Cr-1Mo Steels

The effect of alloying elements and microstructure on the dynamic strain aging (DSA) behavior of 1.25Cr-0.5Mo (P11, ASTM 335Gr.P11) and 2.25Cr-1Mo (P22, ASTM 335Gr.P22) steels was investigated. For both steels, different cooling conditions such as air-cooling (AC) and oil-quenching (OQ) were applied. Tensile tests were conducted in the temperature range of 20-450 ℃ and a strain rate in the range of 6 × 10-5- 6 × 10-3 s-1 for the steels with different cooling conditions. The P11AC steel showed serration behavior over a wider temperature range and exhibited higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) than for the P22AC steel. This is attributed to the effects of alloying elements (Cr, Mo and Si) due to dissolved C, and the ferrite fraction on mechanical behavior. Meanwhile, the P11AC and P11OQ steels also showed different behaviors for DSA starting temperature, DSA temperature range, and serration type. The AC condition showed higher UTS from the interaction solid solution hardening (ISSH) effect due to substitutional Cr, Mo, and interstitial C elements. The calculated activation energy value (Q) for the P11 steel was around 94-103 kJ/mol-1, similar to that of ferritic steels, and it was higher for the P22 steel, with a Q value of 233 kJ/mol-1 from the ISSH effect.

Study on Static Strain Aging Kinetics of High-Carbon Steel Wires and Its Impact on High-Strength Steel Cords

Under quasi-static loading, an irregular failure mode of high-strength thin carbon steel cords were observed after low-temperature thermal aging. Character and kinetics of damage in such wire ropes highly depend on the plastic elongation of the steel wires, which is significantly modified by the strain aging effect. In this paper, the static strain aging effect on heavily drawn high-carbon steel wires and their cords is experimentally studied in the 80–200 °C temperature range. The kinetics of the aging process is studied in detail. Experimental data are fit by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) kinetic model. The temperature dependence of the static strain aging process is given by means of the Arrhenius equation. The associated JMAK exponents, the apparent activation energy and the pre-exponential constant are determined. Quantitative analysis of the affected strength and strain parameters is given, and based on this, the macroscopic failure mechanism is fundamentally explained.

Toward Eliminating Discontinuous Yielding Behavior of the EA4T Steel

Cold-rolled EA4T steel was heat-treated by inter-critical holding at 755 °C for 90 s, 120 s, 180 s, and 240 s, respectively, and then quenching in water. The tensile testing results of the EA4T specimens show an evident transition from the discontinuous yielding to the continuous yielding of the steel specimens by prolonging the holding time. A novel relationship between the discontinuous yielding behavior of tensile-deformed steel specimens and the carbide size was proposed based on experimental results and Cottrell’s theory. The model may provide a new clue for avoiding discontinuous yielding and improving mechanical properties of metals with static strain aging behaviors.