Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
56 (2016),
ISIJ International,
No. 2 Vol. 56 (2016), No. 2, pp. 319–325
1) Formerly Department of Metallurgy and Ceramics Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of
Technology. Now at Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chigusa-ku, Nagoya,
463-8303 Japan. 2) Formerly Graduate Student, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Tech-
nology. Now at NHK Spring Co., Ltd., 3-10 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004 Japan.
3) Department of Metallurgy and Ceramics Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technol-
ogy, 2-12-1-S8-8, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552 Japan.
(Received on July 24, 2015; accepted on November 2, 2015)
This study investigates the γ→α transformation kinetics of Fe–Mn–C dual-phase steels at a temperature
above the melting point of an Al–8.2Mg–4.8Si (wt.%) alloy coating formed on their surface by hot-dipping
process. Using an experimentally determined time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram for a model
steel of Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C (wt.%), the volume fraction of martensite is controlled through the intercritical
heat treatment incorporated into the hot-dipping process. The microstructural observations confirm that
this combined process route makes it possible to fabricate hot-dipped Al alloy-coated dual-phase steels
with a controlled microstructure.
Fig. 3. Customized glove box system used in this study: (a) schematic, (b) appearance, (c) two furnaces in the storage
box cooled by flowing water, (d) appearance of samples prepared using the system.
The temperatures at which γ→α transformation was hot-dipped at 650°C, a number of α grains are also formed
observed to start in Fig. 5 were plotted together with the A3 along the prior austenite grain boundaries after 2 s (Fig.
temperatures from the phase diagrams (Fig. 2) to prepare the 8(c)), but these grow much faster at 650°C to occupy more
continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) diagram of Fe– than 90% in volume fraction after 600 s (Fig. 8(d)). A few
1.5Mn, Fe–3.5Mn and Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C steels. This result grains of lamellar pearlite were locally observed after 600 s.
is shown in Fig. 6. This demonstrates that the addition of Figure 9 shows the change in the volume fraction of
0.1%C to a Fe–1.5 Mn alloy makes the γ→α transforma- ferrite (α phase) with dipping time at various temperatures.
tion sluggish, with the addition of 2% Mn also retarding The volume fraction increases with increasing time. It
the transformation kinetics by an order of magnitude. This reaches to 73% after 600 s at 750°C, which corresponds to
importantly shows that the present steels would allow the the equilibrium volume fraction of α phase calculated using
two-phase microstructure of γ and α phases to be controlled the thermodynamic database of PanFe.17) In the samples
in a cooling rate ranging from 10 to 100°C/s, which cor- held at 700°C, the average volume fraction of the α phase
responds to the initial air-cooling period of the continuous is 13% after 2 s, and then increases with time to a value of
hot-dipping coating process.6,7) 80% at 600 s that is comparable to the equilibrium volume
fraction of 83%. In the samples held at 650°C, the volume
3.2. Time-Temperature-Transformation Diagram of fraction of the α phase rapidly increases to become almost
Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C Steel saturated at 93% after 600 s, which is also equivalent to
As was discussed in the previous section 3.1, the γ→α its equilibrium volume fraction (95%). These results dem-
transformation kinetics of Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C steel is favor-
able for controlling the two-phase microstructure of γ and
α phases during air-cooling, so that this composition was
selected as a model case for the dual-phase steel. In order to
experimentally determine the time-temperature-transforma-
tion (TTT) diagram for this steel, the microstructure of sheet
samples was observed after being hot-dipped in Al alloy at
various temperatures. Figure 7 presents optical micrographs
showing the microstructure produced by hot-dipping at
750°C for various times (followed by water quenching).
The fully martensitic structure (α’) was observed in the
sample hot-dipped for 2 s (Fig. 7(a)) indicating that a single
γ-phase microstructure was maintained at 750°C. Increasing
the dipping time to 10 s produced a number of elongated
ferrite (α) grains with a mean width of approximately 5 μm
along the prior austenite grain boundaries in the martensite
structure (Fig. 7(b)), which indicates that the α grains grow
by consuming the γ phase at 750°C. The volume fraction of
this α phase increases with dipping time to approximately
Fig. 7. Optical micrographs of Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C steel dipped in
70% of the sample after 600 s (Figs. 7(c), 7(d)). molten Al alloy at 750°C for (a) 2, (b) 10, (c) 60 and (d)
Figure 8 shows optical micrographs of steel samples hot- 600 s. All samples were austenitized at 900°C for 600 s.
dipped at 700 and 650°C for different times (followed by
water quenching). The samples hot-dipped at 700°C contain
the granular α grains on prior austenite grain boundaries
even after 2 s (Fig. 8(a)). These α grains grow to approxi-
mately 10 μm in size after 600 s (Fig. 8(b)). In the sample
onstrate the slower γ→α transformation kinetics at higher cooling rate of the steel surface till 400°C (the martensite
temperature within a temperature range from 750 to 650°C. start temperature of this steel is approximately 450°C20,21))
Figure 10 shows the time-temperature-transformation was approximately 25°C/s, which suggests that the γ phase
(TTT) diagram for Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C steel determined in this would transform to martensite during the rapid cooling. A
study. In this figure, the numbers beneath the various sym- representative heat profile for this is plotted on the TTT
bols represent the volume fraction of the α phase. The dia- diagram in Fig. 11, which shows how well the temperature
gram shows how the γ→α transformation starts in less than was controlled by the cooling/heating system of the hot-
20 s at temperatures between 650 to 750°C (Fs). The point dipping process simulator used. The photographs in Fig. 12
at which γ→α transformation finishes (Ff) can be deduced also show that the steel sheets were uniformly coated with
from the change in the volume fraction of α phase with time Al alloy without any discernible defects, regardless of the
(Fig. 9), creating a line located above 300 s, which shows hot-dipping time. The dark areas on the coating surface are
the transformation time is reduced at lower temperature at an oxide film believed to be from the surface of the molten
least within a temperature range from 750 to 650°C. Note Al alloy.
that the localized pearlite structure in the sample hot-dipped Figure 13 presents the optical micrographs showing the
at 650°C for 600 s (Fig. 8(d)) also gives a pearlite transfor- steel microstructure and the interface between the steel sheet
mation start line (Ps). and the Al alloy coating in the prepared sample. These opti-
cal micrographs illustrates the dual-phase microstructure of
3.3. Fabrication of Hot-Dipped Al–Mg–Si Alloy Coated fine martensite (α’) grains distributed in an equiaxed ferrite
Dual-Phase Steels (α) microstructure with a mean grain size of approximately
In order to fabricate hot-dipped Al alloy-coated dual- 15 μm (Figs. 13(a), 13(b)). Most of the martensite grains
phase steel with a volume fraction of martensite of ~30%, are equiaxed, whereas some interconnect to form an irregu-
Fe–1.5Mn–0.1C steel sheets were austenitized at 900°C for lar shape that is seen in the sample hot-dipped after 2 and
600 s, and then cooled down to 750°C (at a cooling rate
of approximately 7°C/s), followed by holding for 600 s to
equilibrate in the two-phase region of α and γ phases. Sub-
sequently, the sheets were hot-dipped in Al alloy at 670°C,
and then rapidly cooled by gas wiping. The measured
Fig. 11. Thermal profile of the heat treatment process with the
aim of fabricating the Al alloy coated dual-phase steel
with 30% volume fraction of martensite (austenitizing at
900°C for 60 s → cooling → holding at 750°C for 600 s
→ hot-dipping at 670°C → rapid cooling).