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1. Introduction
Metals and alloys develop requisite properties by heat treatment which plays a critical role in
achieving appropriate microstructure that imparts the desired characteristics in a given material.
Heat treatment consists of annealing, normalizing, quenching and tempering. Different phase
transformations take place during heat treatment. This experiment is executed to probe the effect
of different heat treatment parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of steels.
Ac 3 for hypoeutectoid steels. The grain size of Martensite is determined by that of Austenite.
Austenite appears during heating of a ferrite-carbide mixture, growth centers of the austenite
phase are very numerous, and initially austenite grains are extremely small, on the order of
10-20 μ m .But with an increase in the heating temperature or holding time in the austenite range,
the grains begin to grow intensively, which means the coarsening of martensite grain.[1]. The
quenching temperature of Coarse-grained Martensite should be higher than that of Fine-grained
Martensite.
2.2 Troosite and Martensite
With a lower cooling rate, not all the austenite transforms to martensite. Partial retained
austenite transforms to troosite according to the TTT diagram. Microstructure after quenching
consists of Martensite and troosite.
2.3 Ferrite and Pearlite
Ferrite-Pearlite can be obtained by slow cooling (usually in the air) after Austenitized, which
is usually referred as Normalizing.
2.4 Ferrite and Martensite
As to low carbon steels, when held at temperature between Ac1 and Ac 3 , Ferrite and
Austenite are obtained. If quenched at higher cooling rate, Austenite transforms to Marstenite and
Ferrite remains in the steel.
2.5 Three stages of Tempering [2]
(a) The first stage of tempering is also referred to as low temperature tempering. This
results in the formation of a low carbon martensite and a carbide by transformation of high carbon
martensite. The low carbon martensite is usually referred as tempered-martensite. As far as
mechanical properties are concerned, marginal decreases in hardness value takes place at this
stage. Excellent wear resistance and reduced internal stresses are the characteristics of hardened
steel tempered in this stage.
(b) The second stage of tempering consists of heating steels in the temperature range
varying from 350-500 °C . During this stage, retained austenite transforms to tempered-troosite.
Another name given to this stage is medium temperature tempering. Ductility and toughness
increase by this treatment with a corresponding decrease in hardness and strength.
(c) The third stage of tempering is also popularly known as high temperature tempering. It
consists of heating steel within a temperature range of 500-600 °C . Heating to such high
temperature results in the formation of ferrite-cementite mixture which is referred as tempered
sorbite.
The cooling rate has no effect on the microstructure of steels after being tempered.
2.6 Identification of desired heat treatment process
As to desired microstructure, the whole heat treatment processes are listed in Table.2.
Relative standard heat treatment parameters, such as critical temperatures, commonly used
quenching temperature and quenching media, is shown in Table.3.
3. Material and specimen preparation
Three kinds of specimens were prepared for Heat treatment and Hardness test: steel 45, steel
40CrNi and steel T8. The chemical composition and geometrical size are show in Table.1. Of each
kind, ten specimens were prepared for various Heat treatment operations.
Table.1 Chemical Composition and Geometrical Size[3]
40CrNi 12 0.37-0.44 0.17-0.37 0.50-0.80 0.45-0.75 1.00-1.40 ≤ 0.30 ≤ 0.035 ≤ 0.035 ≤ 0.15
0.75-0. ≤ 0.03 ≤ 0.03
T8 15 ≤ 0.35 ≤ 0.40 - - - -
84 0 5
4. Heat Treatment
Heat treatment processes of all the specimens are identified as show in Table.2
Tabel.2 Microstructure & Heat Treatment Process (without tempering) & Hardness
Quenching
Quenching
Water Water Oil Air Water(Agitating)
Media
46. 43.
Hardness/HRC 50.2 49.7 34.5 40.9
9 3
Quenching
Quenching
Oil Oil Air Oil Air Oil
Media
Quenching
Quenching Water
Water Oil Air
Media (Agitating)
Critical
Quenching Tempering (temp/ °C )
Temperature/ °C
Hardness after Tempering at different
Steel Ac1 Ac 3 Ms
Quenching Hardness/ temperatures/HRC
Temp/ °C
Media HRC
Ar1 Ar 3 Mr 150 200 300 400 500 550 600 650
Fig.1. Fine‐gained martensite in steel 45
But with an increase in heating temperature austenite grains grow intensively and
coarse-grained martensite is obtained instead of fine-grained martensite, as depicted in Fig.2.
Coarse-grained steel provides less nucleating sites for pearlite transformation, and hardness
increases. But the increase in hardenability is associated with poor impact properties, quench
crack susceptibility, and loss of ductility.
Fig.2. Coarse‐grained martensite in steel 45
If hypoeutectoid steel is heated to a hardening temperature between Ac1 and Ac 3 , the
structure will consist of ferrite and austenite. This will transform to ferrite and martensite on
quenching. Ferrite, a very soft phase, lowers the hardness of hardened steel considerably. This is
also known as incomplete hardening. Table.4 shows the hardness variation against quenching
temperature for hypoeutectoid steels.
Table.4. Hardness variation against quenching temperature in steel 45
The preferred hardening temperature for eutecoid and hypereutectoid steel lies between the
lower critical temperature ( A1 ) and the upper critical temperature ( Acm ),about 30-50 °C above
the lower critical temperature. The advantage gained from hardening temperature in this range is
two-fold. The first is related to the presence of cementite in hardened steel. The cementite in a
martensite matrix accounts for several desirable properties. Wear resistance is one of them. The
fact that both martensite and cementite are hard constituents is responsible for high wear
resistance of the resulting microstructure. Cementite is harder than martensite and so wear
resistance of the two phase microstructure is better than what is achieved by martensite alone. The
second advantage of this hardening temperature is the attainment of fine martensite in the final
structure. In fact, heating of hypereutectoid steel above the upper critical temperature for
hardening is detrimental because such a high temperature will result in coarsening of austenitic
grains and decarburization at the surface. Coarse austenite will transform to coarse acicular
martensite which has poor mechanical properties. Decarburized surface responds poorly to
hardening treatment. In addition to these factors, quenching from such a high temperature will
introduce severe internal stresses into the hardened steel.
Fig.4 shows microstructures of three specimens undergoing the same quenching temperature
but different quenching media. With a more severe cooling rate with water as quenching media,
fine-gained martensite is obtained. When oil is used for quenching, the cooling rate becomes
slower and pearlite appears with martensite. As the cooling rate decrease with air cooling, the
cooling rate is too slow to obtain martensite, only ferrite and cementite is obtained. Variation in
hardness is also depicted in Fig.4.
7.3 Effect of tempering temperature on micro structure and mechanical properties. [7]
A number of structural changes take place during tempering treatment. These changes include
isothermal transformation of retained austenite, ejection of carbon from body centered tetragonal
lattice of martensite, growth and spheroidization of carbide particles and formation of
ferrite-carbide mixture. Depending on the range of tempering temperature, the treatment proceeds
to various stages.
The first stage of tempering is also referred to as low temperature tempering. The maximum
temperature to which steel is heated is restricted to about 250 °C at this stage. This results in the
formation of a low carbon martensite and a carbide by transformation of high carbon martensite.
The carbide precipitated from the high carbon martensite during the first stage of tempering is not
cementite. This carbide is known as ε -cabide which has a hexagonal closed packed structure.
The carbon content of ε -cabide is more than that of cementite (Fe3C) , and the chemical formula
is approximately Fe2.4C. As far as mechanical properties are concerned, marginal decrease in
hardness value takes place at this stage. Strength and toughness improves. Excellent wear
resistance and reduced internal stresses are the characteristics of hardened steel tempered in this
range. Fig.5.shows the microstructure of steel T8 being tempered at 200 °C .
The second stage of tempering consists of heating steels in the temperature range varying
from 350 to 500 °C . During this stage, retained austenite transforms to bainite. This bainite differs
from conventional bainite in the sense that it consists of ferrite and ε -cabide. Another name
given to this stage is medium temperature tempering. Ductility and toughness increase by this
treatment with a corresponding decrease in hardness and strength. The steel develops maximum
elastic properties during this stage. Fig.6 shows the microstructure of steel T8 being tempered at
400 °C .
Fig.8. Hardness against Tempering Temperature
An important role of alloying elements (except cobalt) is to shift the nose of the C-curve to
the right in the TTT diagram. This increases the hardenability of steel even at slow cooling rates.
The reason for this is obvious for austenite stabilizing elements. Ferrite stabilizers do the same job
by forming carbides. Alloy carbides are more stable than cementite, and hence they retard the
diffusion of carbon which in turn decrease the rate of decomposition of austenite. Strong carbide
formers have more pronounced effect on the retardation of austenite decomposition than the weak
carbide formers. Since pearlitic transformation involves diffusion of both carbon and metallic
atoms, the effect of alloying elements is much more pronounced in pearlitic region. The effect is
less pronounced in bainitic region as bainitic transformation involves diffusion of carbon atoms
only. To be effective, the alloying elements must be dissolved in austenite. The presence of cobalt
is helpful for nucleation and growth of pearlite. Therefore, steels containing this element are
difficult to harden. [8]
Fig.9 shows the comparison of TTT diagrams of steel 45 and steel 40CrNi., Ni is an
austenite-forming element while Cr is a medium carbide former. With effect of Cr and Ni, the nose
of the C-curve is shifted to the right on the TTT diagram of steel 40CrNi in comparison to that of
Steel 45.
8. Conclusions
1. Quenching temperature of hypoeutetoid steel is 30-50 °C above the upper critical
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
With all my thanks to Professor. Liu Guoquan, for his charming teaching and insightful
explanation.
During the experiment, great help is received from staffs of laboratory, and here I give my
thanks as well.
Hardness data and metallographic photos come from all my classmates. This experiment essay
cannot be completed without their help.
REFERENCES
[1] George E.Totten. Steel heat treatment: metallurgy and technologies.CRC Press, Tayor &
Francis Group.2006. 163.
[2] T.V.Rajan,C.P.Sharma,Ashok Sharma. Heat Treatment Principles and Techniques. Revised
edition. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India private Limited,1994.115.
[3] 樊东黎,徐跃明,佟晓辉.热处理技术数据手册.第二版.北京:机械工业出版社,2006.
[4] 樊东黎,徐跃明,佟晓辉.热处理技术数据手册.第二版.北京:机械工业出版社,2006.
[5] T.V.Rajan,C.P.Sharma,Ashok Sharma. Heat Treatment Principles and Techniques.Revised
edition.New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India private Limited, 1994.109.
[6] 宋维锡.金属学.第二版.北京:冶金工业出版社,2008.353
[7] T.V.Rajan,C.P.Sharma,Ashok Sharma. Heat Treatment Principles and Techniques. Revised
edition.New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India private Limited, 1 994.115
[8] T.V.Rajan,C.P.Sharma,Ashok Sharma. Heat Treatment Principles and Techniques. Revised
edition.New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India private Limited, 1994.74
[9] George E.Totten. Steel heat treatment: metallurgy and technologies. CRC Press, Tayor &
Francis Group.2006.209