Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Abstract
Multi-phase microstructure gain importance increasingly in new generation steels. Dual phase (DP) steels
can be produced by the quenching from a temperature in intercritical temperatures in the phase region of
austenite and ferrite. The final microstructure is composed of martensite and ferrite. Microstructure before
the annealing at intercritical temperature can include martensite, ferrite, pearlite or austenite. The initial
microstructure affects the final morphology strongly and the annealing temperature affects the amount of
ferrite and martensite phases. Thus, the mechanical properties of dual phase steel depend on the
morphology and phase distribution. In the intermediate quenching method, the initial microstructure is fully
martensitic and final microstructure is fine and randomly scattered at former martensite boundaries in a
ferritic matrix. This type of microstructure is called fibrous microstructure. There are some difficulties in
selecting the correct etching solutions to obtain a sharply different contrast for the microstructure like this. On
this study, hot rolled medium carbon steel was employed and intermediate quenching method was applied.
Dual phase steel showed randomly distributed martensite laths in ferritic matrix in the microstructure. On the
other hand, not only martensite and ferrite but also bainite, and pearlite were observed. The work presented
here demonstrates the effect of the different etchings on the microstructure. Nital and Le Pera solutions were
applied in order to overcome the difficulties in distinguishing the different phases. Light microscope and
scanning electron microscope were carried out observing the microstructures. The Le Pera etchant was
more effective to distinguish the martensite and ferrite. On the other hand, distinguishing the bainite, retained
austenite and pearlite from martensite, same etchant was not favorable.
Keywords: microstructural characterization, dual phase steel, medium carbon steel, intermediate quenching,
phase transformation
1. INTRODUCTION
Dual phase microstructures have enormous advantages over the conventional steels with respect to good
combination of high strength, good machinability and high toughness [1, 2]. Dual phase microstructures
consist of ferrite and martensite phases as a ferrite matrix together with distributed martensite phase
commonly up to %15 volume fractions. The main application area of dual phase steels is in general limited to
the hot rolled sheets for automotive industry. Thus, many research papers are related to the low carbon
steels containing relative small amounts of martensite. In the automotive industry, carbon amount is
restricted by the machinability and weldability properties which inversely proportional to the carbon content
and amount of martensite [1-15]. However, recent studies about dual phase steels with increased amount of
martensite gained importance to strength and wear resistance. Medium carbon dual phase steels can be
used for applications in mineral and mining processes which do not require any welding operation [16, 17].
Even the obtaining a dual phase microstructure from medium carbon steels is an important challenge, there
are some difficulties. Calculating volume fractions of different phases is not as easy as low carbon steels and
also it made increase possibility of forming retained austenite, pearlite and bainite. It may be sometimes
difficult separating this phases. Therefore, because of the expectations about the differences between
microstructures of low carbon and medium carbon steels, etching solutions may differ with respect to
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characterizing the different microstructures. In this study, different etching solutions applied to medium
carbon hot rolled steel to analyze the microstructure of medium carbon dual phase steels.
3. RESULTS
Dual phase microstructure of annealed sample is given in Fig. 1. The samples for SEM are Nital etched in
order to etching ferrite, pearlite and bainite while it leaves martensite unetched state. In Fig. 1, SEM
micrograph reveals the martensite islands in a ferritic matrix as well as a third phase (mixture of
bainite/pearlite) at ferrite-martensite phase boundaries. It was very hard to identify the nano-sized F/P with
light microscope as dark areas in Fig. 2. However, martensite islands (brown) and ferrite (white) can be
distinguished using light microscope.
Fig. 1 SEM micrograph of steel annealed at 730°C and intermediate quenched, M: martensite, F: ferrite, B/P:
bainite/pearlite.
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Fig. 2 LM micrograph of steel annealed at 730°C and intermediate quenched, M: martensite, F: ferrite, B/P:
bainite/perlite.
Fig. 3 LaPera etched microstructure of steel annealed at (a) 730°C and (b) 740°C, and followed by
intermediate quenching.
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a) b)
c) d)
Fig. 4 LM micrographs of steels annealed at a) 725, b) 730, c) 740, and d) 750°C, and followed by
intermediate quenching; etchant: Nital.
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a) b)
c) d)
Fig. 5 LM Micrographs of steels annealed at a) 725, b) 730, c) 740, and d) 750°C, and followed by
intermediate quenching; etchant: Nital.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to Yapı-Tek Çelik Sanayi A.Ş., Kocaeli, Turkey for the supplement of the
alloy and to Dr. U. Prahl for access to a precision dilatometer.
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