Fe-C Phase Transformations and Hardening of Steel, Continued

Prof. Mitra Taheri

From Last Class

TTT curves for iron-carbon system. Retained Austenite: in most steels, especially those with .4%C or more, austenite is retained after quenching. What formed?

Iron-Carbon Phase Diagram

Iron Carbon Phase diagram useful in the study of steels Less than 6.7% carbon considered commercially significant Diagram characterized by 3 invariant points: peritectic, eutectoid, and eutectic Peritectic: (0.17%C, 1495oC) Eutectoid: (0.77%C, 727oC) Eutectic: (4.32%C, 1154oC) Knowledge of the phase diagram is useful in the analysis of mechanical properties of the alloy. Heat treatment => Phase => Properties

Eutectoid Transformations of Austenite

Proeutectoid => Steel Microstructure obtained when austenite slowly cooled depends on original carbon content of steel If C < 0.77% then microstructure primarily contains proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite If C = 0.77% microstructure contains only pearlite If C > 0.77% the microstructure will contain proeutectoid cementite and pearlite

What is Pearlite?
Consists of plates of cementite (Fe3C) in a matrix of ferrite (lighter part)

Image of Hypereutectoid
SEM image shows the cementite delineating prior austenite grain boundaries with a thin layer. The amount of proeutectoid phase is very low, with the majority of the area being taken by the pearlite eutectoid. Each pearlite cell has a different orientation with the ferrite phase being selectively etched.

Image of Hypoeutectoid
SEM image shows that the ferrite phase in the pearlite has been selectively etched compared to the cementite. The cementite phase appears to protrude from the surface. Within the pearlite region there are several colonies in different orientations, indicating that the pearlite nucleated on grains of the primary ferrite.

 Carbon and alloy steels are Martensitic hardened by heating to the Austenitizing temperature followed by cooling at the appropriate rate. Ms is when the Martensite transformation starts. Mf is transformation finishes. The maximum hardness of carbon and alloy steels, after rapid quenching to avoid the nose of the isothermal transformation curve, is a dependent on the alloy content, predominantly the carbon content. The maximum thickness for complete hardening or the depth to which an alloy will harden is measure of a steels hardenability.

What Determines the Hardenability of Steel?

Chemical composition Size of austenite grain size at the instant of quenching High hardenability = austenite to martensite (complete), with no pearlite. High cooling rates are required in steels with low hardenability Limiting factor = formation of pearlite at high temps..so anything that will slow the nucleation of pearlite is a good thing (meaning move the pearlite formation line to the right on a continuous cooling curve diagram).

Austenitic Grain Size

Pearlite Nucleates at Austenite Grain boundaries This is heterogeneous nucleation! Growth rate of pearlite is independent of austenite grain size, but the total number of nuclei per second varies directly with the surface available for their formation Those surfaces are the austenite grain boundaries!

Carbon Content
Carbon content strongly influences the hardenability of steel Formation of pearlite and proeutectoid phases is more difficult in the higher carbon content steels. Variation of D1 with carbon content (D1= critical diameterrelated to critical diameter of a specimen to quench fully, etc. Figure 19.9 reed hill

Alloying Elements
Though all alloying elements will have an effect on hardenability , some increase it and some decrease it. Table 19.5.Grossman Multiplying Factors Cobalt decreases, but those that are soluble in iron increase it.

Tempering
Steels that undergo a simple hardening quench are generally a mix of austenite/martensite Both structures are unstable, and will slowly decompose if left at room temperature.the austenite will change into martensite, and the martensite will then transform. If the sample is mainly martensite, its also too brittle, and because of cracking, is really of no use industrially

Tempering, continued.
So this is why we temper! Tempering is when the temperature of the steel is raised to a value below the eutectoid temperature and held there for some length of time.then cooled to room temperature. The point of this is to allow for diffusion to occur to produce a more stable and less brittle structure, which would be more industrially relevant.

Stages of tempering, in a nutshell

1. Precipitation of the transition carbide 2. Decomposition of the Austenite into a mixture of ferrite and cementite 3. Formation of cementite by conversion of the transition carbide and segregated carbon into small rod-shaped cementite particles
*note: stage 3 is suppressed in low-carbon steels because amount of retained austenite is lessso transition from austenite to other phases is also less!

Effect of Tempering on Properties

Figure 19.34, reed-hill

Time/Temperature in Tempering
Figure 19.37, reed-hill

Quenching
Very important industrial process is the hardening of steel by quenching (what you are testing in your lab). If the quench is rapid enough from the austenitic field, then there isnt enough time for the eutectoidal diffusion-controlled process (decomposition) to occur, and the steel transforms to martensite (or sometimes mainly martensite and some austenite).

Variation in Microstructure as a Function of Cooling (as in lab 3)

Take a look at Figure 19.2: Critical Cooling Curve Fast = martensite, slow= some amount of pearlite Cooling rates are different at different points in the specimen.i.e., there is a difference in temperature at any instant in time between the surface and center of the sample (see fig. 19.3)

Hardness Variation with Microstructure

Change in microstructure is associated with corresponding change in hardness (this is what you should have found in your lab). Figure 19.4: Martensite = rockwell C-65, Pearlite = rockwell C-40.the 50% point of martensite/pearlite = C-54. This 50% point can be used as a criterion for the depth of the hardening given the particular quench

Quenching Fluid and Style

Dependence of quench on oil, water, agitation As we discussed in class last time, water vs. oil yields different resulting microstructures (onset of martensite) Decrease in bubbles on the surface increases cooling rate (surface area covered by cooling liquid)moving the sample within the cooling liquid will accomplish this, and is called agitation. See section on Jominy End Quench (p.610-612, Reed Hill).

Bain Distortion: essentially the movement of FCC to BCC with minimal atomic movements. Need to spend more time on this, and will go over during deformation twinning on Thursday.