CONCLUSIONS Niobium in l o w - c a r b o n and l o w - a l l o y s t e e l s combines c a r b o n in NbC. The c a r b o n is c o m p l e t e l y c o m bined when the niobium to c a r b o n r a t i o is about 1.5:1.

A r e l a t i o n s h i p was found between the c a r b o n content of the solid solution and the niobium content of the steel: The g r e a t e s t reduction in the carbon content of the solid solution o c c u r s with the addition of 0.05-0.1% Nb. With l a r g e r niobium concentrations the amount of c a r b o n dissolved in f e r r i t e continues to d e c r e a s e , but at a l o w e r r a t e . The i n c r e a s e in the f r a c t u r e toughness of s t e e l is i n v e r s e l y p r o p o r t i o n a l to the c a r b o n content of the solid solution. LITERATURE 1. 2o 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. CITED

V. N. Nikitin et al., " E f f e c t of niobium on the s u s c e p t i b i l i t y of steel to b r i t t l e f r a c t u r e , " Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Metally, No. 4, 103 (1970). L. E r a s m u s , J. Iron Steel Inst., 202, No. 2, 128 (1964). L. Halley, T r a n s . AIME, 167, 224 (1946). Ya. E. Gol'dshtein, Alloying of Steel and C a s t I r o n [in Russian], Mashgiz, Moscow (1959), p. 139. Sekine et al., J. Iron Steel Inst. Jpn., 56, 569 (1970). E. Houdremont, Special Steels [Russian translation], Vol. 2, MetaUurgizdat, Moscow (1960), p. 1555. N. Allen et al., J. Iron Steel Inst., 174,108 (1953). W. P e e s et al., J . I r o n Steel Inst., 169, 157 (1951). A. P. Gulyaev, Metal Science [in Russian], Oborongiz, Moscow (1963), p. 253.

EFFECT

OF

SOME OF

IMPURITIES STEEL

ON T H E

PROPERTIES V . N.

18Kh2N4VA and D . A. Litvinenko UDC 620.17:669.14.018.29

Marchenko

Various i m p u r i t i e s get into s t e e l when s c r a p is used in the charge. Some of them h a v e a negative effect on the p r o p e r t i e s of the steel. The m o s t u n d e s i r a b l e i m p u r i t i e s , which a r e not r e m o v e d f r o m the steel in the melting p r o c e s s , a r e antimony, tin, a r s e n i c , and o t h e r s . The concentrations of such e l e m e n t s a r e g e n e r a l l y not m e a s u r e d , and t h e i r p r e s e n c e can be d e t e r m i n e d only indirectly. It was shown in [1], e.g., that the c o n centration of antimony, tin, and a r s e n i c is usually d i r e c t l y p r o p o r t i o n a l to the concentration of copper. The p r i n c i p a l negative effect of t h e s e elements is m a n i f e s t in the f a c t that, d i s t r i b u t e d in the vicinity of grain boundaries, they e m b r i t t l e the s t e e l during h i g h - t e m p e r a t u r e t e m p e r i n g o r operation at elevated t e m peratures. It was shown in [2, 3] that the e m b r i t t l i n g effect depends on the combination of alloying e l e m e n t s and is l a r g e s t in C r - N i s t e e l s . T h e addition of tungsten o r molybdenum does not always c o m p l e t e l y eliminate e m b r i t t l e m e n t [4]. Thus, it is of i n t e r e s t to d e t e r m i n e the quantitative effect of s e p a r a t e e l e m e n t s in o r d e r to d e t e r m i n e the expediency of r e m o v i n g t h e s e e l e m e n t s f r o m the steel. We investigated the individual and combined effects of antimony, tin, a r s e n i c , and c o p p e r on the p r o p e r t i e s of steel 18Kh2N4VA. The c h e m i c a l composition of 50-kg l a b o r a t o r y h e a t s is given in T a b l e 1. T r a n s v e r s e s a m p l e s 12 t 2 m m in section w e r e h e a t t r e a t e d according to GOST 4543-~1: ing f r o m 950C, oil quenching f r o m 860 , t e m p e r i n g at 560 f o r 2 h, and cooling in a i r . air harden-

After h i g h - t e m p e r a t u r e t e m p e r i n g the s a m p l e s w e r e divided into two equal groups, one of which was subjected to additional embrittling t e m p e r i n g at 500 f o r 500 h. The m e c h a n i c a l p r o p e r t i e s of all the s t e e l s w e r e v e r y s i m i l a r a f t e r heat t r c a t m e n t : without e m b r i t t l e m e n t , a b = 96-102 k g f / m m 2 a f t e r e m b r i t t l e m e n t . L P. Bardin Central S c i e n t i f i c - R e s e a r c h Institute of F e r r o u s Metallurgy. enie i T e r m i c h e s k a y a Obrabotka Metallov, No. 1, pp. 18-21, J a n u a r y , 1978. ob = 102-108 k g f / m m 2

T r a n s l a t e d f r o m Metalloved-

18

0026-0673/78/0102-0018 $07.50 1978 Plenum Publishing C o r p o r a t i o n

TAB I,E 1 d
z C 0,5~(J 0,21 U,22 0,20 0,21 0,21 0,~1 0,#1 0,21 0,21 0,2'~ U,2C 0,22 0,22 0,22
SI

Composition, w L"T,.
Mn J Cr

,%
Cu

,,w I
3,~ 3,9 3,8 3,R 3" 3,8 4,0 O,Tg 0,78 [ 0,78 / 0,78 I L"7~ I 0,78 r;,,7f~ 4.0 " (,,.Tq I 4,0 C',7~ ; 4,0 0.79 4,0 (,,,~fJ 4,0 O,~U 3,~ 0,79 3,8 3,8

Zn

Sn

.~.~

As

= u-v~_
45 H0 12 ;Y} .o 40 55 ~50 1400 2500 13,59 2650 4100

7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15

0,25 ).4o I I,~ 0,2 c, IL40 I ! ,45 0,23 r?.4',J ] 1,40 0.27 0.4{! I I,:~5 0,27 0 , 4 1 1,40 0,27 0 , 4 1 1,38 0,2( 0,42 1,35 0,26 0,4~ 1,45 0,26 0,42 1,45 0,27 0,40 1,41) 0,27 (!,4r{ 1,40 0,27 0 , 4 0 1.4(, i 0,~( 0,40 1,:'5 0,26 1 0,40 1,41} 0 , 2 5 0,41 1,:~

0,010 0,010 C',OIO O,(XJq

0,(.4.C6 0,C13 <0,(.(.5 [<:,,no'. C,,(13 <0,r4.(:5 <O,fl r~: 0,('(.07 0,(.(.07 L,CI3 J<O,O(.{.~ <,!,C'~C5 0,f13 <0,0C('5 0,0;'27 0,007 O,OOY 0,003 6,t(:( ~; (',L']3 <(',L,U S r ,, 1.7o 0,009 0,003 0,UX6 0,013 <0,0CL~5 (~,0{lrj 0,(~44 o,r4.r 5 0 .';9 0,~;3 0,C~',5 f',OI4 0,015 O,(X!'(. (:If.w5 O,OlO L,, {J&3 0,0(;0'1 0,0120 O,COC'~ L,,tlO 0, L",~ 0, C(Yv4 0,016 < O,(.~,l 5 O,f~O? 0,609 0,003 e, t:o(.,,l n,1 0,( 0(,7 0,C~9 C,005 { 0,0C';."; .,|7 < O,(gjL5 C,'.LO7 0,C{;9 0,003 { 0,00C4 (J,2 'J <t,f(,L'5 0 ('n42 0,0e44 O,OlO 0,005i 0,0005 0,12 0',0',0 0,0c,96 n,(, 0 0,004 O,OOL:5 (.',I6 0,26 0,0110 O,L'lTO C',OlO C,,LKJ5} 0,00C5 o,r:t3 0,004 0,0C5 0,003

0,0150 O, r}L;7 ~. 0,0L~ 0,010 0,{ 0 f o,~.,12 0,0015

0/it,

0 e~j( 6 0/'Cz5 0,(0~6

~.
-_. L; ~" < E

Note. 1) All heats contained 0.007% Co, about 0.005% Pb, Bi, and Cd, 0.006-0.008% O, and 0.008-0.010% N. 2) The total contamination of the original metal with S, P, Cu, Co, Zrb Sb, Sn, As, Pb, Bi, and Cd was ~ 1000 at. ppm. After standard and cmbrittling tempering we determined the fracture toughness on samples of type IV (GOST 9454-60) and the type of fracture at different testing temperatures (GOST 9455-60, 9456-60). The test results are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. No essential differences in fracture toughness or ductile components in the fractures w e r e observed for s t e e l s with different concentrations of impurities after standard tempering. tIowevcr, with the highest concentration of antimony, tin, and arsenic (Fig. 1) and also with combined additions of these elements (Fig. 2) the fracture toughness was lowest and the percentage of ductile components in the fracture as a function of temperature shifted to the right. Of particular interest is the variation of the toughness after embrittling tempering. The effect of the impurities is m o r e evident in this c a s e (Fig. 1). The fracture toughness and percentage of ductile components in the fracture after embrittling tempering are shifted toward more positive temperatures than after standard tempering. The fracture toughness curve repeats the shape of the ductile componerts curve. It can be assumed that an i n c r e a s e in the concentration of impurities has little effect on the absolute energy of ductile fracture m~d reduces the fracture toughness due to the appearance of sections of brittle fracture with minimal absorption of energy during crack propagation, and therefore the variation of the fracture toughness is determined by the change in the fracture. For steel subjected to embrittling tempering an i n c r e a s e of the impurity concentration generally i n c r e a s e s the temperature at which the first crystalline sections appear (Tg0) to a greater extent than Ts0 or the lower limit of cold brittleness T10. It can be noted that even for "pure" steel (with a minimal concentration of impurities) there is a substantial i n c r e a s e of the d u c t i l e - b r i t t l e transition temperature after embrittling tempering as compared with standard tempering (AT = 35). Embrittlement is probably due to the fact that even with the minimal concentration of impurities, and also phosphorus, they still have a negative effect on the properties. It can be seen from Fig. 1 that arsenic and especially copper have a weak embrittling effect. Intensive embrittlement is due to arsenic and tin. Embrittlement is greatest when the steel contains all four impurities (Fig. 2). The l a r g e s t concentration of impurities r a i s e s TS0 by 230 . To determine the effect of separate impurities on embrittlement of the steel we calculated from the data in Fig. 1 the shift of Ts0 toward m o r e positive temperatures with an i n c r e a s e of each impurity by 10 at. ppm. The results of the calculations are given below: Element
Sb Sn As Cu

Shift of Ts0, C
13.7 11.9 2.6 0.18

19

a nlV, kgf-m / cmz

anlv, k g f - m / c m z

/i ./~'l

i .~W ~Y,,.~,..-~

.~ ii I
7,

,,,';,~_l" I ). ;:: ~/7//7 ]

I i...4E>1I zo~-~;<ahi.f-m/cm

I / i l ~ __~

~ _ - ,o .__L-Z-" I

q/

"---'-'L--~z f-m/era c

4 J 2

#. .
. ,W/Z/

~,,i

80

,~, ~ - ~ ~--~ i///,'7 ,////

6O ~0 20

I .-d//!

-X'7
-19~ -7~0 -#00 -GO -ZO 20 -198 -Tt#O -700 -6a -ZO 20C

Fig. 1. Variation of f r a c t u r e t o u g h n e s s and p e r c e n t a g e of ductile components in the f r a c t u r e with testing t e m p e r a t u r e for heats 1-12 of steel 18Kh2N4VA a f t e r h i g h - t e m p e r a t u r e (dashed lines) and e m b r i t t l e m e n t (solid lines) tempering. anlv, kgf-m/cmz

,11

,11 W,,+T IA-~---l/-J

?

*e 20

! .... I
gO GO MO ?~0 180 C

'-ZOO -60 -?0

Fig. 2. Variation of f r a c t u r e toughness and p e r c e n tage of ductile components in the f r a c t u r e with t e s t ing t e m p e r a t u r e for steel 18Kh2N4VA with additions of antimony, tin, arsenic, and copper after hight e m p e r a t u r e t e m p e r i n g (dashed lines) and embrittling (solid lines) tempering. The heat numbers a r e given on the c u r v e s . TABLE 2
Shift of Tso, "C

Heat No.
lz

Calc.
G~

[
1 I I

Actual
75

15

14

150 219

160 230

20

Thus, with r e s p e c t to e m b r i t t l i n g t e m p e r i n g of s t e e l 18Kh2N4VA the m o s t h a r m f u l i m p u r i t i e s a r e antimony and tin, while c o p p e r has a l m o s t no effect on susceptibility to e m b r i t t l e m e n t . Using the data obtained, we calculated the shift of Ts0 for s t e e l s with combined additions of Sb, Sn, As, and Cu (heats 13, 14, 15). F o r this p u r p o s e the p r e v i o u s l y calculated shift of Ts0 induced by 10 at. ppm of each i m p u r i t y s e p a r a t e l y was multiplied by the concentration of the i m p u r i t y in the steel and the values obtained f o r each heat w e r e added. The total calculated values w e r e c o m p a r e d with the actual values (Table 2). It can be seen that the calculated and actual values a r e in good agTceement, and thus it can be c o n s i d e r e d that f o r s t e e l containing s e v e r a l i m p u r i t i e s the total effect can b e found by adding the effects of each s e p arately. CONCLUSIONS 1. S t r u c t u r a l steel 18Kh2N4VA is s u s c e p t i b l e to t e m p e r b r i t t l e n e s s to a c o n s i d e r a b l e extent. 2. The p r e s e n c e of antimony, tin, and a r s e n i c in steel 18Kh2N4VA, s e p a r a t e l y and together, i n c r e a s e s the susceptibility of the s t e e l to e m b r i t t l e m e n t , while c o p p e r has p r a c t i c a l l y no effect. 3. F o r steel containing s e v e r a l i m p u r i t i e s the total effect is d e t e r m i n e d by adding the effects of each separately. 4. In s t r u c t u r a l steel intended f o r c r i t i c a l machine p a r t s and subject to heating in the p r o c e s s of o p e r a tion it is n e c e s s a r y to d e t e r m i n e the c o n c e n t r a t i o n of h a r m f u l i m p u r i t i e s , e s p e c i a l l y antimony and tin. LITERATURE 1. 2. 3. 4. CITED

A. S m r h o v ~ and T. Myslivec, Hutnike L i s t y (1970). J. Low, T r a n s . AIIVIE, 62, 372 (1960). A . P . Gulyaev and A. V. T a r a n , WEffect of p u r i t y on the t e m p e r b r i t t l e n e s s of quenched and t e m p e r e d s t r u c t u r a l s t e e l s , ' Metalloved. T e r m . Obrab. Met., No. 10, 42 (1971). G. Austin and A. Entwistle, J. I r o n Steel Inst., 173, No. 4 (1953).

21