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Itamar Ferreira
6.1. Introduo
Os aos podem apresentar vrias formas de fragilizao metalrgica que podem
ocorrer em decorrncia de tratamentos trmicos ou termo-qumicos ou servios em altas
temperaturas. As principais formas de fragilizao so:
Alm disso, os aos podem ainda apresentar outros tipos de fragilizao, sendo os
mais importantes:
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Figura 6.1. Curva tpica de uma fratura retardada caracterstica de fragilizao por
hidrognio, de um ao liga, de espcimes com um entalhe severo.
6.3. Fragilizao da Martensita Revenida (FMR)
O primeiro relato histrico do fenmeno de fragilizao pelo revenido data de
1883; quando ferreiros observaram que alguns aos que tinham sido resfriados em gua,
aps o revenido, escaparam da fragilizao. Contudo, o primeiro artigo sobre o assunto foi
escrito por Brearley, em 1917. O interesse mais intenso por este fenmeno ocorreu por
volta de 1930; quando ento, foi circunstancialmente associado susceptibilidade de certos
aos fratura prematura, com a presena de certas impurezas nos contornos de gro. Desde
ento, a fragilizao pelo revenido dos aos tem sido intensamente estudada, sobretudo a
partir dos anos 50.
Existem dois fenmenos distintos de fragilizao associadas com o revenido, ou
seja, dois diferentes tipos de fragilizao pelo revenido. Por isso, historicamente, as
pesquisas sobre o assunto tm sido divididas em duas reas de estudo. Dependendo do
ciclo trmico em que o ao submetido, o fenmeno de fragilizao recebe diferentes
designaes.
Um dos tipos de fragilizao, tradicionalmente chamado de fragilizao a 350 C,
ocorre em aos com limite de escoamento relativamente alto - quando a martensita
revenida a baixa temperatura. Devido fragilizao ocorrer aps um simples tratamento de
revenido da martensita, o fenmeno tem sido designado de fragilizao da martensita
revenida - FMR, e mais recentemente de primeiro estgio de fragilizao pelo revenido.
O outro tipo de fragilizao, tradicionalmente chamado de fragilizao pelo
revenido reversvel, ocorre em aos com limite de escoamento muito baixo. Isto, como
resultado de um revenido da martensita a alta temperatura, onde se observa a reao de
decomposio martensita ferrita + cementita. Este tipo de fragilizao ocorre quando o
ao submetido a um tratamento isotrmico de envelhecimento, prximo de 500 C, ou
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escoamento plstico ou pela tenacidade intrnseca da matriz. Existem alguns fatores que
podem interferir no caminho de propagao de uma trinca. possvel que grande parte das
controvrsias sobre o modo de fratura que opera na FMR, se deva a diferentes nveis de
influncia desses fatores.
Est bem documentado na literatura que a fratura frgil intergranular mais
propensa a ocorrer quando certos agentes fragilizantes esto presentes nos contornos de
gro. Esses agentes fragilizantes so locais preferenciais para nucleao e propagao de
trincas. Eles podem ser considerados como trincas latentes. Assim, o requisito
fundamental para a ocorrncia de FMR-intergranular, a presena de agentes fragilizantes
nos contornos de gro. Eles elementos fragilizantes so formados a partir de certas
impurezas ou elementos de liga.
As principais impurezas no ao que contribuem muito com a FMR so: fsforo,
antimnio, estanho e arsnio. Tais elementos normalmente esto presentes apenas em
quantidades equivalentes a traos nos aos baixa liga, mas tais quantidades so
suficientes para causar a fragilizao. Quantidades relativamente pequenas destes
elementos, da ordem de 100 ppm (0,01%) ou menos, tem mostrado causar fragilizao pelo
revenido Os aos carbono com menos de 0,5% de mangans no so suscetveis ao
fenmeno da fragilizao da martensita revenida. A suscetibilidade a este fenmeno
bastante aumentada pela presena do cromo e do mangans. Pequenas quantidades de
molibdnio e tungstnio inibem a fragilizao; entretanto, quantidades maiores desses
mesmos elementos j influenciam negativamente, ou seja, contribuem com a fragilizao.
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Figura 6.3.
Esquema da variao do limite de resistncia trao e da reduo de rea em funo
da temperatura de revenido para aos do tipo SAE XX40. Observa-se que entre 200 e
400 C h uma queda na reduo de rea e no limite de resistncia trao. Dentro
dessa faixa de fragilizao o mecanismo de fratura predominante a fratura
intergranular. Fora dessa regio o mecanismo de fratura predominante o alveolar
("dimples").
6.3. Referncias Bibliogrficas
1. J.E. Steiner, "Hydrogen in heavy forgings", Metals Progress, ASM, Vol. 76, Nr.
1, July 1959.
2. R.W. Hertzberg, "Deformation and fracture mechanics of engineering materials",
John Wiley & Sons, 4th Edition, 1996, pp. 460-471.
3. G.E. Dieter, "Mechanical metallurgy", SI Metric Edition, McGraw-Hill Book
Company, 1988, pp. 490-491.
4. A.S. Tetelmam, A.J. McEvily, "Fracture of structural materials", John Wiley &
Sons, 1967, pp. 450-464.
5. R.A. Oriani, "The physical and metallurgical aspects of hydrogen in metals", in
ICCF4, Fourth International Conference on Cold Fusion, Lahaina, Maui, 1993.
6. L. Engel, H. Klingele, "An atlas of metal damage: Surface examination by
scanning electron microscope", Translated by Stewart Murray, Wolfe Publishing
Ltd, 1981, pp. 121-132.
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The main objective of a failure analysis is the determination of the failure cause. The
fundamental sources of failure include any aspects of design, material, fabrication, and
general conditions of assembling and using of the component. The tempered martensite
embrittlement (TME) phenomenon occurs when some martensitic steels are tempered at
about 300 to 350C. As a result of that the fracture toughness of the steels is very low and
the risk of sudden fracture of the structural component made of these steels is high. Several
steels are susceptible to this phenomenon, mainly the AISI 4340 and AISI 5140 [1-3]. The
TME represents a problem of intergranular embrittlement due to precipitation of carbides
along prior austenite grain boundary. Segregation of impurity elements present in the steel
such as P, S, N, Sb, and Sn is essential to occurrence of the TME. The embrittlement can
occur for very low contents of these impurities or residual elements, about 100 ppm or less
[1, 3-4]. As a result of TME the fracture mechanism is normally intergranular and that can
only be determined by fractography (fracture surface analysis) using electron microscopy;
consequently, the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is the most important tool for
determining TME. Carbon steels with less than 0.5% Mn are not susceptive to TME. The
susceptibility to this phenomenon is enhanced by the presence of Cr and Mn and low
quantities of Mo and W inhibit it; on the other hand, high quantities of Mo and W
enhanced it [1]. When the steel is embrittled by TME it is very susceptible to environmentassisted cracking - hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking - and the fatigue
strength is decreased. The objective of this paper is to present two cases of failure analysis,
pointing the SEM as the main tool for determining the causes of the failures. The first one
is studs made of AISI 4340 steel, with M24x3 screw and 230 mm long, and the second one
is bolds made of AISI 5140 steel, with M10 screw and 30 mm long. These studs and bolds
failed in service. Chemical and metallographic analyses, tensile and hardness tests, and
fractography analysis for both, studs and bolds, had been conducted in order to determine
the causes of failures. These analyses and tests were conducted in accordance with
international standards. The fractography analysis was realized by using SEM. The
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chemical compositions of the embrittled studs (0.37C-0.61Mn-0.009S-0.019P-0.28Si0.75Cr-1.69Ni-0.29Mo) and embrittled bolds (0.42C-0.72Mn-0.021P-0.009S-0.22Si0.95Cr) are in accordance with respectively AISI 4340 and 5140 steels. The high levels of
hardness of 450HB (about 48HRC) for the embrittled studs and 437HV (about 44HRC) for
the embrittled bolds are an indication that they could be tempered in a low temperature,
near to 350C, and, as a result of that, they are embrittled. For the embrittled studs the
yield and tensile strength and the reduction of area are respectively 1,363MPa, 1,438MPa,
and 49%. Figure 1 shows the characteristic microstructures of the analyzed materials; both
are tempered martensite and it is not possible to conclude by this technique that the steels
are embrittled by TME. Figure 2 shows the characteristic fracture mechanisms observed on
the fracture surface of the analyzed components. Both embrittled components show two
mechanisms of fracture: dimples (coalescence of microvoids) and intergranular. Figure 2
(a) shows two zones on the fracture surface of the stud: one corresponding to dimples and
the other one to intergranular fracture; there is a clear interface between them. There is a
clear difference between dimples - Figure 2 (b) - and intergranular micromechanism Figures 2 (c) and (d). There are another possible fracture micromechanisms for these steels
such as cleavage and fatigue; however, they were not observed on the fracture surface of
the analyzed components. When the material is in an appropriated metallurgical condition
occurs only dimples micromechanism and intergranular mechanism is normally an
indication of metallurgical embrittlement. The predominance of intergranular fracture
micromechanism, on the fracture surface of the analyzed components, associated with the
high levels of hardness, is a clear indication of the TME. That was possible to conclude
only by SEM that was the main technique in determining the cause of failure for these two
cases: TME due to inappropriate tempering of the components.
References:
[1] R. C. Tokimatsu, Doctoral Thesis, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering / UNICAMP
(1995) 201-287.
[2] R. C. Tokimatsu and I. Ferreira, Acta Microscopica 4 (1995) 110-111.
[3] P. Zumpano Jr, Master of Science Dissertation, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering /
UNICAMP (2003) 13-21.
[4] P. Zumpano Jr and I. Ferreira, IMECE 2003 - ASME International Mech. Eng.
Congress (2003). Proc. in CD-ROM.
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intergranular
interfac
dimples
(b) Bold: zone of dimples.
Figure 2. Characteristic fracture mechanisms observed on the fracture surface of the analyzed
components. SEM. Scanning electron microscopes: (a) and (c) Jeol JXA 840A model and (b)
and (d) Jeol JSM-6360LV model.
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