The objective of this thesis is to further understand the austenite Abnormal Grain Growth (AGG) phenomenon in relation with precipitation state in a low alloy steel. The abnormal grain growth is addressed from both experimental and numerical modeling point of view. Prior austenite grain size distribution, precipitation volume fraction and size distribution evolution of the different heat treated states are experimentally determined for two different industrial alloys (steel-A and steel-B) in different heat treated states and experimental results are compared with model predictions. A two-step modeling technique is adopted in this study: precipitation modeling and abnormal/normal grain growth modeling. The abnormal/normal grain growth modeling is done using a simplified analytical model where the grain growth is assumed to be driven by the decrease in interfacial energy. Both the conventional Zener pinning and corner pinning by precipitate is considered as boundary movement retarding forces. The precipitation model is based on the Classical Nucleation and Growth Theories. The assumption of homogeneous precipitate nucleation and growth gave a good prediction of volume fraction, mean radius and size distribution in comparison with the experimental results. Two coupled modeling approaches of abnormal grain growth and precipitation model: ①Soft coupling and ②Dynamic coupling; shed light on the different physical parameters controlling the grain growth condition in a particular material's state. A reasonable prediction of AGG and NGG is obtained from both approaches. The dynamic coupled modeling enabled us to paint a comprehensive time-temperature mechanism map of grain growth conditions. It is found that AGG in the austenitic state depends strongly on the initial grain size distribution and precipitation state. The modeling and the experimental results showed that the precipitation state evolution (increasing or decreasing volume fraction) also impact normal/abnormal grain growth. Plausible explanations in relation with the mean austenite grain size and the precipitation state are derived for the AGG phenomenon from the present work.

L'objectif de cette thèse est d’approfondir la compréhension des relations entre la croissance anormale des grains austénitiques et l'état de précipitation dans un acier faiblement allié. La croissance anormale est le grossissement excessif d’un petit nombre de grains conduisant à une détérioration des propriétés mécaniques. La distribution de taille des grains d'austénite, la fraction volumique de précipités et l'évolution de leur distribution de taille ont étés expérimentalement caractérisés pour différents traitements thermiques et pour deux aciers industriels (acier A et acier B). La modélisation a été réalisée en deux étapes : modélisation de l’état de précipitation et modélisation de la croissance anormale/normale des grains. Les résultats de la modélisation ont étés comparés aux résultats expérimentaux. Le modèle de croissance des grains est basé sur l’hypothèse que la croissance des grains est régie par la diminution de l'énergie d’interface. Les précipités créent une force d’ancrage conventionnelle de Zener ainsi qu’une force d’ancrage de joints de grains, qui retardent la croissance de grains. Le modèle de précipitation est basé sur les théories classiques de nucléation et de croissance (CNGTs). Si la taille des grains austénitiques est supérieure à 3µm, l’hypothèse d’une précipitation homogène permet d’obtenir un bon accord entre les résultats numériques et les résultats expérimentaux (distribution de taille de précipités, fraction volumique). Si la taille des grains est inférieure à 3µm, la présence de précipitation hétérogène a été prise en compte. Le modèle de précipitation a été couplé par deux approches différentes au modèle de croissance de grains ; un couplage ‘doux’ et un couplage ‘ dur’. Ces deux approches ont permis de faire la lumière sur les différents paramètres physiques qui contrôlent la croissance de grains pour un état structural donné. Une bonne prédiction du mode de croissance (normale ou anormale) a été obtenue. Le couplage dynamique a permis de tracer une représentation temps/température claire du mode de croissance des grains. Il a été montré que si la croissance anormale des grains d’austénite dépend fortement de l’état initial de précipitation ainsi que de la taille initiale des grains, l’évolution de la fraction volumique des précipités lors du traitement thermique joue un rôle prépondérant sur le mode de croissance. Les résultats de cette étude ont permis d’expliquer l’influence de l’état de précipitation et de la taille des grains sur la croissance anormale. / The objective of this thesis is to further understand the austenite Abnormal Grain Growth (AGG) phenomenon in relation with precipitation state in a low alloy steel. The abnormal grain growth is addressed from both experimental and numerical modeling point of view. Prior austenite grain size distribution, precipitation volume fraction and size distribution evolution of the different heat treated states are experimentally determined for two different industrial alloys (steel-A and steel-B) in different heat treated states and experimental results are compared with model predictions. A two-step modeling technique is adopted in this study: precipitation modeling and abnormal/normal grain growth modeling. The abnormal/normal grain growth modeling is done using a simplified analytical model where the grain growth is assumed to be driven by the decrease in interfacial energy. Both the conventional Zener pinning and corner pinning by precipitate is considered as boundary movement retarding forces. The precipitation model is based on the Classical Nucleation and Growth Theories. The assumption of homogeneous precipitate nucleation and growth gave a good prediction of volume fraction, mean radius and size distribution in comparison with the experimental results. Two coupled modeling approaches of abnormal grain growth and precipitation model: ①Soft coupling and ②Dynamic coupling; shed light on the different physical parameters controlling the grain growth condition in a particular material’s state. A reasonable prediction of AGG and NGG is obtained from both approaches. The dynamic coupled modeling enabled us to paint a comprehensive time-temperature mechanism map of grain growth conditions. It is found that AGG in the austenitic state depends strongly on the initial grain size distribution and precipitation state. The modeling and the experimental results showed that the precipitation state evolution (increasing or decreasing volume fraction) also impact normal/abnormal grain growth. Plausible explanations in relation with the mean austenite grain size and the precipitation state are derived for the AGG phenomenon from the present work.

Este trabalho consiste no estudo das propriedades mecânicas de tração e impacto do aço Hadfield refinado com Hf em relação ao aço Hadfield sem refino. Foram realizadas simulações no software Thermo-Calc para caracterizar o caminho de solidificação e a evolução microestrutural do aço Hadfield (composição química de 13% de Mn, 1,2% de C e 0,65% de Si). Foram fundidos os corpos de prova de aço Hadfield sem refino e refinado pela adição de Hf, ambos com a composição química de acordo com a norma ASTM A128 - grau B2. Os corpos de prova foram submetidos ao tratamento térmico de solubilização à temperatura de 1120oC por 10 horas. A caracterização macroestrutural mostrou que o aço Hadfield com adição de Hf apresenta tamanho do grão austenítico cinco vezes menor (600 µm) do que o aço Hadfield sem refino (de 3000 µm para 600 µm), sendo que este resultado foi confirmado pela técnica de EBSD (Electron backscatter diffraction). Os resultados do ensaio de tração dos corpos de prova para as duas condições mostraram que as propriedades de limite de escoamento (6%), tenacidade (88%), resistência à tração (37%), e do coeficiente de encruamento (30%) do aço Hadfield refinado aumentaram em relação ao aço Hadfield sem refino. A energia absorvida no impacto aumentou de 156 J/cm2 para 179 J/cm2 com o refino do tamanho de grão austenítico. A lei de Hall-Petch foi utilizada para explicar o efeito do refino de grão no limite de escoamento, mas não pode ser usada para explicar o aumento na resistência a tração, tenacidade, e as mudanças no coeficiente de encruamento. A caracterização microestrutural das amostras rompidas em tração e impacto mostrou que a fração de maclas aumentou em 46% (em tração) e 45% (no impacto) para o aço Hadfield refinado em comparação com o aço Hadfield sem refino. Os resultados da caracterização microestrutural dos corpos de prova rompidos no ensaio de tração e impacto indicam que o mecanismo de deformação plástica por maclação foi mais atuante com o refino do grão austenítico. / The tensile and impact properties of Hf-refined Hadfield steel were compared to the properties of non-refined Hadfield steel. Simulations in Thermo-Calc software were made in order to study the solidification and microstructural evolution of a Hadfield steel (13% Mn, 1.2% C and 0.65% Si). Samples of non-refined and refined Hadfield steel (with addition of 0.1% of H), both with chemical composition as described in ASTM A128- grade B2, were cast and subjected to a solution heat treatment at 1100oC for 10 hours, followed by water quenching. Macrostructural characterization showed that the refined Hadfield steel featured an austenitic grain size equal to 600 ?m, five times smaller than the grain size of the non-refined Hadfield steel (3000 µm). These results were confirmed by EBSD (Electron backscatter diffraction) analysis. The tensile test results showed an increase in the values of the yield stress (6%), the fracture toughness (88%), the tensile strength (37%) and the strain hardening coefficient (30%) with the reduction on the austenitic grain size from 3000 µm to 600 µm. Additionally, the value of the absorbed energy of the impact test was improved from 156 J/cm2 to 179J/cm2 with reduction on the grain size. The Hall-Petch law was used to explain the small increase of 8% in the value of the yield stress with the grain refinement, but this law could not be used to explain the increase in the values of the fracture toughness, the tensile strength and the strain hardening coefficient. The microstructural characterization of the fractured test-pieces after tensile and impact testing showed that the values of the fraction of mechanical twins (definer) in the plastically deformed microstructure near the fracture surfaces of the refined condition increased by 45% when compared to the non-refined condition. These results indicated that the austenitic grain refinement of the Hadfield steel changed the plastic deformation mechanism, favoring the activation of the plastic deformation by twinning mechanism and, therefore, increasing the values of the fracture toughness (~88%), the ultimate tensile strength (~30%), the strain-hardening coefficient (~30%) and the absorbed energy during Charpy-test (~15%).

Este trabalho consiste no estudo das propriedades mecânicas de tração e impacto do aço Hadfield refinado com Hf em relação ao aço Hadfield sem refino. Foram realizadas simulações no software Thermo-Calc para caracterizar o caminho de solidificação e a evolução microestrutural do aço Hadfield (composição química de 13% de Mn, 1,2% de C e 0,65% de Si). Foram fundidos os corpos de prova de aço Hadfield sem refino e refinado pela adição de Hf, ambos com a composição química de acordo com a norma ASTM A128 - grau B2. Os corpos de prova foram submetidos ao tratamento térmico de solubilização à temperatura de 1120oC por 10 horas. A caracterização macroestrutural mostrou que o aço Hadfield com adição de Hf apresenta tamanho do grão austenítico cinco vezes menor (600 µm) do que o aço Hadfield sem refino (de 3000 µm para 600 µm), sendo que este resultado foi confirmado pela técnica de EBSD (Electron backscatter diffraction). Os resultados do ensaio de tração dos corpos de prova para as duas condições mostraram que as propriedades de limite de escoamento (6%), tenacidade (88%), resistência à tração (37%), e do coeficiente de encruamento (30%) do aço Hadfield refinado aumentaram em relação ao aço Hadfield sem refino. A energia absorvida no impacto aumentou de 156 J/cm2 para 179 J/cm2 com o refino do tamanho de grão austenítico. A lei de Hall-Petch foi utilizada para explicar o efeito do refino de grão no limite de escoamento, mas não pode ser usada para explicar o aumento na resistência a tração, tenacidade, e as mudanças no coeficiente de encruamento. A caracterização microestrutural das amostras rompidas em tração e impacto mostrou que a fração de maclas aumentou em 46% (em tração) e 45% (no impacto) para o aço Hadfield refinado em comparação com o aço Hadfield sem refino. Os resultados da caracterização microestrutural dos corpos de prova rompidos no ensaio de tração e impacto indicam que o mecanismo de deformação plástica por maclação foi mais atuante com o refino do grão austenítico. / The tensile and impact properties of Hf-refined Hadfield steel were compared to the properties of non-refined Hadfield steel. Simulations in Thermo-Calc software were made in order to study the solidification and microstructural evolution of a Hadfield steel (13% Mn, 1.2% C and 0.65% Si). Samples of non-refined and refined Hadfield steel (with addition of 0.1% of H), both with chemical composition as described in ASTM A128- grade B2, were cast and subjected to a solution heat treatment at 1100oC for 10 hours, followed by water quenching. Macrostructural characterization showed that the refined Hadfield steel featured an austenitic grain size equal to 600 ?m, five times smaller than the grain size of the non-refined Hadfield steel (3000 µm). These results were confirmed by EBSD (Electron backscatter diffraction) analysis. The tensile test results showed an increase in the values of the yield stress (6%), the fracture toughness (88%), the tensile strength (37%) and the strain hardening coefficient (30%) with the reduction on the austenitic grain size from 3000 µm to 600 µm. Additionally, the value of the absorbed energy of the impact test was improved from 156 J/cm2 to 179J/cm2 with reduction on the grain size. The Hall-Petch law was used to explain the small increase of 8% in the value of the yield stress with the grain refinement, but this law could not be used to explain the increase in the values of the fracture toughness, the tensile strength and the strain hardening coefficient. The microstructural characterization of the fractured test-pieces after tensile and impact testing showed that the values of the fraction of mechanical twins (definer) in the plastically deformed microstructure near the fracture surfaces of the refined condition increased by 45% when compared to the non-refined condition. These results indicated that the austenitic grain refinement of the Hadfield steel changed the plastic deformation mechanism, favoring the activation of the plastic deformation by twinning mechanism and, therefore, increasing the values of the fracture toughness (~88%), the ultimate tensile strength (~30%), the strain-hardening coefficient (~30%) and the absorbed energy during Charpy-test (~15%).