This dissertation demonstrates that substantial ductility improvement is possible for low-manganese transformation induced plasticity steel compositions through the quenching and partitioning heat treatment approach using a Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulator. Two investigated compositions had unique microstructures and mechanical behavior from an identical applied quenching and partitioning process. Electron backscattered diffraction analyses indicate that Comp-2 and Comp-5 both contained retained austenite which resulted in enhanced ductility. The face-centered cubic phase (austenite) more efficiently mitigates strain incompatibilities when located at martensitic grain boundaries known for hot spots and damage initiation. This location effect leads to enhanced ductility and improved toughness in a lean, transformation induced plasticity steel. However, the increase in ductility in Comp-2 and Comp-5 is limited; the partitioning of carbon cannot stabilize austenite to reach strength/ductility targets set by the Department of Energy. Comp-2 and Comp-5 lack sufficient manganese to stabilize austenite to a higher degree. Chem-2A will be explored to determine if the partitioning stage can stabilize austenite closer to the martensite finish temperature. Periodic intercritical annealing will be applied to Chem-1A to see if mechanical properties can be increased further than current research values. Ultimately, through literature, Manganese is proven to be a more effective austenite stabilizer than carbon, and with tailored heat-treatment, the DOE targets can be reached.

Controlled decarburization experiments were carried out on ternary and quaternary iron alloys. The planar ferrite interfaces formed during decarburization were subsequently investigated using atom probe tomography (APT) to measure interfacial segregation. The segregation results for the Fe-Si-C, Fe-Mn-C, and Fe-Mo-C were used to improve the three-jump-model developed Zurob et al. These three systems were accurately modelled using interfacial binding energy values in agreement with the atom probe tomography results. Qualitative explanations for the modelling results of Sun et al. on the Fe-Mn-Mo-C system and Qiu et al. on the Fe-Mn-Si-C system have also been provided using the results from the atom probe tomography investigation. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Controlled decarburization experiments were carried out on ternary and quaternary iron alloys. The planar ferrite interfaces formed during decarburization were subsequently investigated using atom probe tomography (APT) to measure interfacial segregation. The segregation results for the Fe-Si-C, Fe-Mn-C, and Fe-Mo-C were used to improve the three-jump-model developed Zurob et al. These three systems were accurately modelled using interfacial binding energy values in agreement with the atom probe tomography results. Qualitative explanations for the modelling results of Sun et al. on the Fe-Mn-Mo-C system and Qiu et al. on the Fe-Mn-Si-C system have also been provided using the results from the atom probe tomography investigation.

No description available.

No description available.

Um novo ciclo de tratamento térmico denominado como têmpera e partição vem sendo desenvolvido em aços com elevados teores de silício, como rota para obtenção de estruturas com frações consideráveis de austenia retida. Essa rota de tratamento m térmico consiste em realizar uma têmpera temperaturas intermediárias entre Ms e Mf, seguido de um reaquecimento com manutenção em patamares isotérmicos por certos intervalos de tempo, objetivando estabilizar a austenita remanescente através da partição do carbono a partir da martensita supersaturada. No presente trabalho, duas ligas de ferros fundidos nodulares convencionais, com diferentes teores de silício e manganês, foram submetidas a ciclos de têmpera e partição. As amostras foram austenitizadas a 900°C por duas horas. Uma das ligas foi temperada em óleo a 160°C e a outra a 170°C por 2 minutos. Imediatamente após a têmpera as amostras foram reaquecidas em temperaturas entre 300 e 450°C por intervalos de tempo que variaram entre 2 e 180 minutos. A caracterização microestrutural foi realizada através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e difração de raios x. A caracterização mecânica foi feita através de ensaios de energia absorvida ao impacto, dureza HRC e ensaios de tração. A caracterização microestrutural evidenciou que os ciclos de têmpera e partição são viáveis na obtenção de frações consideráveis de austenita retida nos ferros fundidos nodulares. A caracterização mecânica evidenciou que foi possível obter boas combinações de energia absorvida ao impacto, resistência à tração e alongamento. Em todas as condições testadas é possível perceber uma janela de processo bem definida caracterizada por valores crescentes das propriedades mecânicas nos primeiros minutos do ciclo de partição e que decrescem após certo intervalo de tempo. O conjunto de propriedades mecânicas obtidas através dessa rota de tratamentos térmicos indica que os ferros fundidos nodulares submetidos ao ciclo de têmpera e partição podem se constituir como alternativa tecnológica para aplicações comerciais nas quais os ferros fundidos nodulares austemperados já são materiais consolidados. / A new heat treatment cycle known as quenching and partitioning has been developed in commercial steel alloys containing silicon as a way to obtain structures with controlled fractions of retained austenite. This heat treatment cycle consists in performing a quenching in temperatures between Ms and Mf, followed by a reheating with isothermal holding by different time intervals. The aim of this cycle is to achieve the austenite stabilization by diffusion of carbon from the supersaturated plates of martensite. In this work, two conventional ductile cast iron alloys, with two different contents of silicon and manganese were heat-treated in quenching and partitioning cycle. The samples were austenitized at 900°C for two hours, followed by quenching in oil at 160° C and 170° C for two minutes. Immediately after quenching, the samples were reheated at temperatures between 300 and 450°C for time intervals between 2 and 180 minutes. The microstructural characterization was performed using electronic microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction. The mechanical characterization was performed using impact tests, hardness and tensile strength tests. The microstructural characterization showed that the cycles of quenching and partitioning are viable to obtain considerable fractions of retained austenite in nodular cast by this heat treatment route. The mechanical characterization showed that it was possible to obtain good combinations of energy absorbed in the impact, tensile strength and elongation. In all tested conditions was possible to perceive a well-defined process window characterized by increasing values of mechanical properties in the first minutes of the partitioning step, and decrease after certain time intervals. The set of mechanical properties obtained by this route of heat treatments indicates that nodular cast iron subjected to tempering and partitioning cycle can be constituted as an alternative technology for commercial applications in which austempered ductile irons are already consolidated materials.

Stainless steels are high-alloyed, usually with multiple components and often also dual matrix phases, as for duplex stainless steels. This make predictions and calculations of alloying effects on equilibria and transformations complicated. Computational thermodynamics has emerged as an indispensable tool for calculations within these complex systems with predictions of equilibria and precipitation of phases. This thesis offers examples illustrating how computational methods can be applied both to thermodynamics, kinetics and coarsening of stainless steels in order to predict microstructure and, to some extent, also properties. The performance of a current state-of-the-art commercial thermodynamic database was also explored and strengths and weaknesses highlighted. / <p>QC 20130429</p>

published_or_final_version / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steels are a class of steels with exceptional formability properties, due mainly to the presence of meta-stable retained austenite which transforms to martensite under loading, locally hardening the steel. The volume fraction and mechanical stability of the retained austenite play an important role in producing the high formabilities of TRIP steels. In this thesis, two separate morphologies of retained austenite, equiaxed versus lamellar, have been produced through thermo-mechanical processing of a single common TRIP steel chemistry. The sheet formability characteristics of these two microstructures were examined, with varying volume fractions of retained austenite, through uniaxial tensile and in-plane plane-strain (IPPS) testing. It was found that higher levels of retained austenite produced better formability properties for both microstructures and strain paths. In uniaxial tension it was seen that the the lamellar microstructure attained higher strains at maximum load, and exhibited more sustained instantaneous n values than the equiaxed structure, despite having a lower volume fraction of retained austenite. IPPS testing was performed using an optical measurement of local strain and a comparative forming limit based on differences in strain rate between a developing neck and the surrounding material. It was found that the lamellar microstructure performed better than the equiaxed microstructure for this strain path, achieving higher strains before reaching the comparative forming limit. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-25 16:36:07.598

No description available.

Constant strain rate compression and torsion tests were carried out isothermally at temperatures of 875 to 1075(DEGREES)C on a series of six steels. The base steel had a composition of 0.06% C and 1.43% Mn and the others contained one of the following sets of additions: (i) 0.035% Nb; (ii) 0.035% Nb + 0.115% V; (iii) 0.035% Nb + 0.30% Mo; (iv) 0.035% Nb + 1.90% Mn; (v) 0.115% V. The tests were conducted to determine the effects of Mn, Mo, Nb and V, singly and in combination, on the high temperature flow and recrystallization behavior of the materials. The dynamic precipitation kinetics for Nb(CN) and VN were determined by the Weiss method. The two PTT curves were similar, with the nose of the VN curve being situated at a slightly lower temperature (885 vs. 900(DEGREES)C) and at a somewhat longer time (26 vs. 16 s), in agreement with the lower equilibrium solution temperature of VN. The dynamic precipitation kinetics of Nb(CN) were retarded by the addition of Mn, V or Mo. This retardation is attributed to the increased carbonitride solubility that follows the addition of these elements because of the way in which they decrease the C and N activity coefficients. / RTT curves were constructed for dynamic recrystallization in the six steels investigated. These were derived from the peak strains of the compression flow curves, as determined at a strain rate of 3.7 x 10('-2)s('-1). Recrystallization occurred earliest in the plain C steel followed fairly quickly by the 0.115% V steel. All of the Nb bearing steels recrystallized considerably later, with the greatest retardation being noted in the 0.3% Mo steel, where it was nearly twice that due to Nb addition alone. This very large effect, and the retardation due to each of the transition elements, is explained in terms of the electronic differences between iron and the particular element. The effect of the atomic size differences with respect to iron is also considered. / The strengthening due to the presence of Mn, Mo, Nb and V in solution was determined from the yield strengths of these steels. The increment in yield strength over that of the plain C steel was determined as 70% and 7% per 0.1 at.% of Nb and V when each is added singly. The strengthening increased to 80% and 8% respectively for these elements when present jointly in austenite. The strength increments were 9% for Mo and 1.3% for Mn per 0.1 at.% when added to a 0.035% Nb steel. The rank order of these effects is also explained in terms of the electronic and atomic size differences, and a possible reason for the synergistic effect (e.g. in the case of Nb and V in a Nb-V steel) is proposed.