Skip to content
Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter February 10, 2021

Effect of austenitizing temperatures on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AISI 9254 steel

  • Ömer Faruk Murathan

    Mr. Ömer Faruk Murathan was born in 1989, received his BSc from the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2013. He earned his MSc degrees at Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey in 2015. Currently, he is a PhD Student at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. His research interests are heat treatments of steel and cast iron.

    , Kemal Davut

    Assist. Prof. Dr. Kemal Davut was born in 1982 and works at the at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey. He received his BSc and MSc degrees from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Middle East Technical University in 2004 and 2006, respectively. He earned his PhD degree in 2013 at the RWTH Aachen University. His areas of interest include crystallographic texture analysis, EBSD technique, SEM, quantitative metallography, magnetic Barkhausen noise, heat treatment of ferrous alloys and advanced high strength steels.

    and Volkan Kilicli

    Assist. Prof. Dr. Volkan Kilicli was born in 1980 and works at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. He graduated in Metallurgy Education from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2001. He received his MSc and PhD degrees from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey in 2004 and 2010, respectively. His research interests include the heat treatment of steel and cast iron, semi-solid processing of aluminum alloys, self- healing metallic materials and metal matrix composites.

    EMAIL logo
From the journal Materials Testing

Abstract

In this study, the effect of austenitizing temperatures and low-temperature isothermal heat treatment (below martensite start temperature) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AISI 9254 high silicon spring steel has been investigated. Experimental studies show that ultra-fine carbide-free bainite, tempered martensite and carbon enriched retained austenite could be observed in isothermally heat-treated samples where the as-received sample consisted of fine pearlite. A high tensile strength of ~2060 MPa, a total elongation of ~8 %, and absorbed energy of 105 J were achieved in a commercial high-Si steel by austempering below the Ms temperature. A good combination of strength and ductility has been obtained in prolonged austempering below the martensite start temperature (225 °C) from an austenitizing temperature of 870 °C.


Dr. Volkan Kilicli Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Gazi University, 06560, Teknikokullar/Ankara Turkey

About the authors

Ömer Faruk Murathan

Mr. Ömer Faruk Murathan was born in 1989, received his BSc from the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2013. He earned his MSc degrees at Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey in 2015. Currently, he is a PhD Student at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. His research interests are heat treatments of steel and cast iron.

Kemal Davut

Assist. Prof. Dr. Kemal Davut was born in 1982 and works at the at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey. He received his BSc and MSc degrees from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Middle East Technical University in 2004 and 2006, respectively. He earned his PhD degree in 2013 at the RWTH Aachen University. His areas of interest include crystallographic texture analysis, EBSD technique, SEM, quantitative metallography, magnetic Barkhausen noise, heat treatment of ferrous alloys and advanced high strength steels.

Dr. Volkan Kilicli

Assist. Prof. Dr. Volkan Kilicli was born in 1980 and works at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. He graduated in Metallurgy Education from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2001. He received his MSc and PhD degrees from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey in 2004 and 2010, respectively. His research interests include the heat treatment of steel and cast iron, semi-solid processing of aluminum alloys, self- healing metallic materials and metal matrix composites.

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to express their gratitude for the financial support of Gazi University Scientific Research Fund (Project code: GÜBAP 07/2013-01). The authors’ gratitude is also extended to the Metal Forming Center of Excellence at Atilim University for providing electron microscopy, X-RD and quenching dilatometer facilities.

References

1 J. Cruz Jr, T. Rodrigues, V. Viana, H. Abreu, D. Santos: Influence of temperature and time of austempering treatment on mechanical properties of SAE 9254 commercial steel, Steel Research International 83 (2012), No. 1, pp. 22-31 DOI:10.1002/srin.20110017410.1002/srin.201100174Search in Google Scholar

2 G. Krauss: Steels: Processing, Structure, and Performance, ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio, USA, (2015)10.31399/asm.tb.spsp2.9781627082655Search in Google Scholar

3 H. Bhadeshia, R. Honeycomb: Steels: Micro-structure and Properties, Butterworth Heinemann, London, UK (2017)10.1016/B978-0-08-100270-4.00015-9Search in Google Scholar

4 F. Caballero, H. Bhadeshia, K. Mawella, D. Jones, P. Brown: Very strong low temperature bainite, Materials Science and Technology 18 (2002), No. 3, pp. 279-284 DOI:10.1179/02670830122500072510.1179/026708301225000725Search in Google Scholar

5 F. Caballero, H. K. Bhadeshia: Very strong bainite, Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science 8 (2004), No. 3-4, pp. 251-257 DOI:10.1016/j.cossms.2004.09.00510.1016/j.cossms.2004.09.005Search in Google Scholar

6 C. Garcia-Mateo, C. FG, B. HKDH: Acceleration of low-temperature bainite, ISIJ International 43 (2003), No. 11, pp. 1821-1825 DOI:10.2355/isijinternational.43.182110.2355/isijinternational.43.1821Search in Google Scholar

7 L. Zhao, L. Qian, J. Meng, Q. Zhou, F. Zhang: Below-Ms austempering to obtain refined bainitic structure and enhanced mechanical properties in low-C high-Si/Al steels, Scripta Materialia 112 (2016), pp. 96-100 DOI:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2015.09.02210.1016/j.scriptamat.2015.09.022Search in Google Scholar

8 S. Xia, F. Zhang, Z. Yang: Microstructure and mechanical properties of 18Mn3Si2CrMo steel subjected to austempering at different temperatures below Ms, Materials Science and Engineering: A 724 (2018), pp. 103-111 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2018.03.06710.1016/j.msea.2018.03.067Search in Google Scholar

9 X. Huang, W. Liu, Y. Huang, H. Chen, W. Huang: Effect of a quenching–long partitioning treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a 0.2 C% bainitic steel, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 222 (2015), pp. 181-187 DOI:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2015.03.01010.1016/j.jmatprotec.2015.03.010Search in Google Scholar

10 J. A. da Cruz Junior, D. B. Santos: Effect of tempering temperature on isothermal decomposition product formed below Ms, Journal of Materials Research and Technology 2 (2013), No. 2, pp. 93-99 DOI:10.1016/j.jmrt.2012.11.00110.1016/j.jmrt.2012.11.001Search in Google Scholar

11 J. A. Junior, I. P. Pinheiro, T. F. Rodrigues, V. D. Viana, D. B. Santos, Bainite formation at low temperatures in high C-Si steel and its mechanical behavior,18th International Federation for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering, (2012), West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, (pp. 163-175) DOI:10.1520/STP15322012001210.1520/STP153220120012Search in Google Scholar

12 D. Dyson: Effect of alloying additions on the lattice parameter of austenite, J. Iron Steel Inst. 208 (1970), pp. 469-474Search in Google Scholar

13 C. Hofer, H. Leitner, F. Winkelhofer, H. Clemens, S. Primig: Structural characterization of “carbide-free” bainite in a Fe–0.2 C–1.5 Si–2.5 Mn steel, Materials Characterization 102 (2015), pp. 85-91 DOI:10.1016/j.matchar.2015.02.02010.1016/j.matchar.2015.02.020Search in Google Scholar

14 S. Van Bohemen, M. Santofimia, J. Sietsma: Experimental evidence for bainite formation below Ms in Fe–0.66 C, Scripta Materialia 58 (2008), No. 6, pp. 488-491 DOI:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2007.10.04510.1016/j.scriptamat.2007.10.045Search in Google Scholar

15 P. Kolmskog, A. Borgenstam, M. Hillert, P. Hedström, S. S. Babu, H. Terasaki, Y.-I. Komizo: Direct observation that bainite can grow below Ms, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 43 (2012), No. 13, pp. 4984-4988 DOI:10.1007/s11661-012-1342-y10.1007/s11661-012-1342-ySearch in Google Scholar

16 E. P. da Silva, W. Xu, C. Föjer, Y. Houbaert, J. Sietsma, R. H. Petrov: Phase transformations during the decomposition of austenite below Ms in a low-carbon steel, Materials Characterization 95 (2014), No. pp. 85-93 DOI:10.1016/j.matchar.2014.06.00310.1016/j.matchar.2014.06.003Search in Google Scholar

17 H.-S. Yang, H. Bhadeshia: Austenite grain size and the martensite-start temperature, Scripta Materialia 60 (2009), No. 7, pp. 493-495 DOI:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2008.11.04310.1016/j.scriptamat.2008.11.043Search in Google Scholar

18 L. Yuan, Q. Liu, H. Li, B. Gao: Effect of austenitizing temperature on the bainitic transformation in a high-carbon high-silicon steel, Metal Science and Heat Treatment 57 (2015), No. 3-4, pp. 156-160 DOI:10.1007/s11041-015-9855-910.1007/s11041-015-9855-9Search in Google Scholar

19 S. Basiruddin, D. Chakrabarti, S. Chatterjee: Microstructural engineering and strength-impact toughness prediction in ultra-low carbon bainitic steel, Materials Science and Technology 34 (2018), No. 15, pp. 1910-1918 DOI:10.1080/02670836.2018.149655310.1080/02670836.2018.1496553Search in Google Scholar

20 T. Song, B. C. De Cooman: Effect of boron on the isothermal bainite transformation, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 44 (2013), No. 4, pp. 1686-1705 DOI:10.1007/s11661-012-1522-910.1007/s11661-012-1522-9Search in Google Scholar

21 T. Jiang, H. Liu, J. Sun, S. Guo, Y. Liu: Effect of austenite grain size on transformation of nanobainite and its mechanical properties, Materials Science and Engineering: A 666 (2016), pp. 207-213 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2016.04.04110.1016/j.msea.2016.04.041Search in Google Scholar

22 F. Hu, P. Hodgson, K. Wu: Acceleration of the super bainite transformation through a coarse austenite grain size, Materials Letters 122 (2014), pp. 240-243 DOI:10.1016/j.matlet.2014.02.05110.1016/j.matlet.2014.02.051Search in Google Scholar

23 S.-J. Lee, J.-S. Park, Y.-K. Lee: Effect of austenite grain size on the transformation kinetics of upper and lower bainite in a low-alloy steel, Scripta Materialia 59 (2008), No. 1, pp. 87-90 DOI:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2008.02.03610.1016/j.scriptamat.2008.02.036Search in Google Scholar

24 B. Avishan, M. Tavakolian, S. Yazdani: Two-step austempering of high performance steel with nanoscale microstructure, Materials Science and Engineering: A 693 (2017), pp. 178-185 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2017.03.10410.1016/j.msea.2017.03.104Search in Google Scholar

25 S. Zhang, S. Morito, Y.-i. Komizo: Variant selection of low carbon high alloy steel in an austenite grain during martensite transformation, ISIJ international 52 (2012), No. 3, pp. 510-515 DOI:10.2355/isijinternational.52.51010.2355/isijinternational.52.510Search in Google Scholar

26 S. K. Putatunda: Fracture toughness of a high carbon and high silicon steel, Materials Science and Engineering: A 297 (2001), No. 1-2, pp. 31-43 DOI:10.1016/S0921-5093(00)01272-710.1016/S0921-5093(00)01272-7Search in Google Scholar

27 S. K. Putatunda, A. V. Singar, R. Tackett, G. Lawes: Development of a high strength high toughness ausferritic steel, Materials Science and Engineering A 513 (2009), pp. 329-339 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2009.02.01310.1016/j.msea.2009.02.013Search in Google Scholar

28 S. K. Putatunda, C. Martis, J. Boileau: Influence of austempering temperature on the mechanical properties of a low carbon low alloy steel, Materials Science and Engineering A 528 (2011), No. 15, pp. 5053-5059 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2011.03.03810.1016/j.msea.2011.03.038Search in Google Scholar

29 Y. Shen, L. Qiu, X. Sun, L. Zuo, P. K. Liaw, D. Raabe: Effects of retained austenite volume fraction, morphology, and carbon content on strength and ductility of nanostructured TRIP-assisted steels, Materials Science and Engineering A 636 (2015), pp. 551-564 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2015.04.03010.1016/j.msea.2015.04.030Search in Google Scholar

30 K. Singh, A. Kumar, A. Singh: Effect of prior austenite grain size on the morphology of nano-bainitic steels, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 49 (2018), No. 4, pp. 1348-1354 DOI:10.1007/s11661-018-4492-810.1007/s11661-018-4492-8Search in Google Scholar

31 S. Zhou, K. Zhang, Y. Wang, J. Gu, Y. Rong: High strength-elongation product of Nb-micro-alloyed low-carbon steel by a novel quenching–partitioning–tempering process, Materials Science and Engineering A 528 (2011), No. 27, pp. 8006-8012 DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2011.07.00810.1016/j.msea.2011.07.008Search in Google Scholar

32 R. W. Hertzberg, R. P. Vinci, J. L. Hertzberg: Deformation and Fracture Mechanics of Engineering Materials, John Wiley&Sons Inc., New York, USA (2013)Search in Google Scholar

33 S. Keeler, M. Kimchi: Advanced High-Strength Steels Application Guidelines Version 5.0, World Auto Steel, Middletown, OH, USA (2015)Search in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2021-02-10

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston, Germany

Downloaded on 2.12.2023 from https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/mt-2020-0007/html
Scroll to top button