Low Pressure Carbonitriding of Steel Alloys with Boron and Niobium Additions

Low pressure carbonitriding (LPCN) has the potential to improve impact and fatigue strength, with gears being an example application, through the enrichment of nitrogen in addition to carburizing at higher heat treatment temperatures. In this study, the LPCN response of four different steel alloys is investigated. The influence of unprotected boron is evaluated by comparing the LPCN response of 20MnCr5 with and without boron additions. The influence of Nb microalloying is assessed by comparing the LPCN response of 8620 with and without Nb additions. Low pressure carbonitriding heat treatments were developed to achieve case depths of 0.65 to 0.75 mm in each alloy. The hardness and case microstructure are correlated to bending fatigue response measured with Brugger fatigue specimens, which are designed to simulate the root of a gear tooth.

Challenges of Nb Application in Thermomechanical Processes of Steels for Long Products

Nb is a classical microalloying element in the design of thermomechanical treatments in low carbon steels for flat products applications. However, its use in medium-high carbon grades, as occurs in hot rolling of bars, is less common. This is, in part, because of the diversity of characteristics required to those grades of steels and the less knowledge about the function of Nb in these cases. Consequently, less information is reported concerning thermo-mechanical processing of Nb microalloyed steels in long products applications. In this case, it is necessary to consider the singularities related to these processes, such as the short interpass times and the wide range of chemical compositions usually applied on these products. Short interpass times result in high strain rate values that can lead to metallurgical changes on the mechanisms occurring during the hot rolling must be considered. Moreover, the high Carbon contents applied in long products, usually between 0.20–0.40%, can influence the Nb solubility and precipitation in each stage of the process: prior to hot rolling on the reheating furnace, during the process and after hot rolling, depending on the cooling strategy adopted and on the post-rolling heat treatments that can be applied. This paper analyses different singularities associated with the use of Nb microalloying for long products. Several aspects, such as the partial or complete dissolution of the Nb prior to hot rolling, its role in the control of austenite microstructure and its incidence in the final microstructure and mechanical properties, will be considered.