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Regulation of Cu precipitation by intercritical tempering in a HSLA steel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2014

Qing-Dong Liu ,
Jian-Feng Gu  and
Chuan-Wei Li
Qing-Dong Liu
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
Jian-Feng Gu*
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
Chuan-Wei Li
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

A multistep heat treatment process consisting of intercritical tempering between quenching and conventional tempering contributed to the development of a ferrite–martensite dual-phase structure in a Ni- and Cu-containing high-strength low-alloy steel. By using electron backscatter diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy, the microstructures were found to have an elongated lathlike morphology with carbide and Cu precipitates located especially at the boundaries of ferrite and martensite crystals. Atom probe tomography reveals at atomic scale the existence of solute-diluted ferrite and solute-rich martensite, and the later phase was considered to be transformed from the reverse austenite that was formed during intercritical tempering. Cu precipitation greatly correlates with the microconstituents, resulting in different distributional characteristics of Cu precipitates within these two phases and at their boundaries. It is a promising process to utilize Cu precipitation strengthening and phase transformation toughening simultaneously in alloy steels.

Keywords

atom probe tomographyhigh-strength low-alloy steelCu precipitationreverse austenitemicrostructure
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 29 , Issue 8 , 28 April 2014 , pp. 950 - 958
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2014 

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