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Austenite decomposition during continuous cooling of an HSLA-80 plate steel

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Abstract

Decomposition of fine-grained austenite (10-µm grain size) during continuous cooling of an HSLA-80 plate steel (containing 0.05C, 0.50Mn, 1.12Cu, 0.88Ni, 0.71Cr, and 0.20Mo) was evaluated by dilatometric measurements, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and microhardness testing. Between 750 °C and 600 °C, austenite transforms primarily to polygonal ferrite over a wide range of cooling rates, and Widmanstätten ferrite sideplates frequently evolve from these crystals. Carbon-enriched islands of austenite transform to a complex mixture of granular ferrite, acicular ferrite, and martensite (all with some degree of retained austenite) at cooling rates greater than approximately 5 °C/s. Granular and acicular ferrite form at temperatures slightly below those at which polygonal and Widmanstätten ferrite form. At cooling rates less than approximately 5 °C/s, regions of carbon-enriched austenite transform to a complex mixture of upper bainite, lower bainite, and martensite (plus retained austenite) at temperatures which are over 100 °C lower than those at which polygonal and Widmanstätten ferrite form. Interphase precipitates of copper form only in association with polygonal and Widmanstätten ferrite. Kinetic and microstruc-tural differences between Widmanstätten ferrite, acicular ferrite, and bainite (both upper and lower) suggest different origins and/or mechanisms of formation for these morphologically similar austenite transformation products.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 80401, Golden, CO

    S. W. Thompson (Associate Professor/ISS Professor) & G. Krauss (John Henry Moore Professor)

  2. Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, United States Military Academy, 10996-5000, West Point, NY

    D. J. Colvin (Captain, United States Army, and Assistant Professor)

Authors
  1. S. W. Thompson
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  2. D. J. Colvin
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  3. G. Krauss
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Additional information

Formerly Graduate Student, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines.

This article is based on a presentation made during TMS/ASM Materials Week in the symposium entitled “Atomistic Mechanisms of Nucleation and Growth in Solids,” organized in honor of H.I. Aaronson’s 70th Anniversary and given October 3–5, 1994, in Rosemont, Illinois.

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Thompson, S.W., Colvin, D.J. & Krauss, G. Austenite decomposition during continuous cooling of an HSLA-80 plate steel. Metall Mater Trans A 27, 1557–1571 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02649815

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