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X-ray lines of martensite and retained austenite were obtained on a DRON-4S-01 diffractometer in cobalt Ka radiation at points of layers lying 50, 400, and 700 lam from the
surface. The profile of the martensite line (200) was separated
analytically into singlets using the method of Shtremei' and
Kaputkina [ 1]. The lattice parameters c and a and the amount
of tetragonal tempered (self-tempered) martensite were determined. The lattice parameters of austenite were determined
from the centers of gravity of the lines (h/d) and % by linear
extrapolation of the N e l s o n - R i l e y function to an angle of
90 . The random error in measuring the lattice parameter for
each line (h/d) was estimated for a confidence level of 0.95
with allowance for: (1) the error in measuring the background, (2) the error determined by the volume of reflection
statistics, (3) the error due to the chosen methods for recording the profile of the line and for pointwise calculation of the
coordinates of its center of gravity.
Foils were prepared for an electron-microscopic investigation in the following way. Plates 0.8 mm thick were cut on
TABLE I
Concentration o f elements, %
Steel
C
Mn
Ni
Cr
Si
Cu
U8
0.76 - 0.83
0. I 7 - 0.33
0.25
< 0.20
0.17 - 0.33
0.028
0.030
0.25
45
0.42-0.50
0.50-0.80
0.25
<0.25
0.17-0.37
0.04
0.035
0.25
40
0.36-0.44
0.50-0.80
0.80-1.10
U.17-0.37
0.035
0.035
KhVG
0.90-
0.80-
0.50-0.80
0.90-
0.15-0.35
0.030
0.030
1.05
1.10
1.20
382
0026-0673196/0910-0382515.00ID 1997 Plenum Publishing Corporilion
HV
h, Jam
110(
900
383
12
1100
700
500
300
300
1oo
100
45
40Kh
U8
KhVG
45 40Kh
U8 KhVG
384
D . S . Stavrev et al.
TABLE 2
CA
h, lam
Aret, %
Surface
400
700
36
20
-
Cu
%
1.23
0.85
-
0.95
0.70
0.30
15, rad
Fe(Cr)3C, Cr23C6
The same
0.02706
0.02157
0.01700
Note. The results are presented for steel KhVG treated by regime 1.
Notation. h) distance from the surface; Am ) m o u n t of retained aust~te;
CA, CM) carbon contents in austenite and martensite, respectively;K) carbides; 15) physical broadening.
TABLE 3
Steel
KhVG
40Kh
Treatment
Am, %
5
36
33
Tl'aCC$
cA
cu
%
1.23
1.26
0.63
0.95
0.95
0.35
0.33
-0.50
0.35
13,tad
Traces
Cr23C6,Fe(CrhC
Cr23C6,Fc(Cr)3C
0.02106
0.02706
0.02833
0,01305
0.01608
0.01783
regime (a comparatively low temperature of heating for hardening and a low cooling rate). After plasma-arc treatment by
regime 1 the structure of steel 40Kh exhibits traces of retained austenite.
The profile of the martensite line (200) changes depending on the kind of heat treatment used and the chosen regime
of surface hardening. Directly after a treatment by different
regimes steel KhVG possessed a certain amount of tempered
martensite (from 5 to 15%), and the initial highly tetragonal
rnartensite occupied the main part of the volume (Tables 2
and 3). The martensite doublet component (002) has been recorded for a wide range of reflection angles, which is an obvious sign of high inhomogeneity of the a-solid solution (Table 2) formed from the originally inhomogeneous austenite.
The change in the profile of the martensite line over the thickness of the hardened layer indicates that the mean concentration of carbon in the martensite decreases.
The results of an investigation of the wear resistance of
steels with different carbon contents agree with the results of
the microsla'uctural analysis of the specimens after plasma-arc
treatment. The wear resistance increased due to the formation
of a structure with considerably bbroken-up austenite grains,
laths and laminas o f martensite, and the presence of fine carbides of the types Fe3C, Fe(Cr)3C, Crz3C6. It follows from
Fig. 3 that the wear intensity depends on the carbon content
in the steel and that it is much lower after plasma-arc hardening than after volume hardening. The effect is the most pronounced in specimens of structural steel 40Kh.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Plasma-arc treatment increases the hardness and wear
resistance o f all the steels studied, especially steel 40Kh.
2. A preliminary heat treatment (toughening) is recommended in order to provide high toughness and ductility of
the core and eliminate cracking after plasma-arc treatment,
make the hardened layer more homogeneous, and provide a
385
AM, m g
,L
36-
322824-
0
0
16
128
t
U8
KhVG
Fig. 3. Wear resistance of the studied steels (AM is the loss of mass) after volumehardening(0) and after plasma-arc treatmentby regimes ! (!)
and 2 (2).