Kinetics and formation mechanisms of intragranular ferrite in V-N microalloyed 600 MPa high strength rebar steel

To systematically investigate the kinetics and formation mechanisms of intragranular ferrite (IGF), isothermal heat treatment in the temperature range of 450℃ to 600℃ with holding for 30 s to 300 s, analysis of the corresponding microstructures, and observation of the precipitated particles were conducted in V-N microalloyed 600 MPa high strength rebar steel. The potency of V(C,N) for IGF nucleation was also analyzed statistically. The results show that the dominant microstructure transforms from bainite (B) and acicular ferrite (AF) to grain boundary ferrite (GBF), intragranular polygonal ferrite (IPF), and pearlite (P) as the isothermal temperature increases from 450℃ to 600℃. When the holding time at 600℃ is extended from 30 s to 60 s, 120 s, and 300 s, the GBF content ranges from 6.0vol% to 6.5vol% and the IPF content increases from 0.5vol% to 2.8vol%, 13.1vol%, and 13.5vol%, respectively, because the ferrite transformation preferentially occurs at the grain boundaries and then occurs at the austenite grains. Notably, V(C,N) particles are the most effective nucleation site for the formation of IPF, accounting for 51% of the said formation.     

Effects of sphere size on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ductile iron–steel hollow sphere syntactic foams

The effects of sphere size on the microstructural and mechanical properties of ductile iron–steel hollow sphere (DI–SHS) syntactic foams were investigated in this study. The SHSs were manufactured by fluidized-bed coating via the Fe-based commercial powder–binder suspension onto expanded polystyrene spheres (EPSs). Afterwards, the DI–SHS syntactic foams were produced via a sand-mold casting process. The microstructures of specimens were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy- dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The microscopic evaluations of specimens reveal distinct regions composed of the DI matrix, SHS shells, and compatible interface. As a result, the microstructures and graphite morphologies of the DI matrix depend on sphere size. When the sphere size decreases, the area fractions of cementite and graphite phases are observed to increase and decrease, respectively. Compression tests were subsequently conducted at ambient temperature on the DI–SHS syntactic foams. The results reveal that the compression behavior of the syntactic foams is enhanced with increasing sphere size. Furthermore, the compressed specimens demonstrate that microcracks start and grow from the interface region.     

循环应力对高牌号无取向电工钢磁性能的影响

以30WGP1600无取向电工钢为研究对象,采用磁性测量仪检测循环拉应力对试验钢磁性能的影响规律,利用Bitter粉纹法、EBSD和TEM等分析手段,分别观察了不同循环应力下试样的磁畴、织构和位错结构的变化特征。结果表明,最大循环应力Smax小于材料的弹性极限强度(300 MPa)时,去除应力后试验钢的磁性能基本恢复;Smax≥300 MPa时,试验钢的磁畴结构和织构发生变化,磁性能开始恶化,其铁损P1.0/50、矫顽力和饱和磁致伸缩系数均随着Smax的增大而增加,而磁感应强度B50则随之降低,并且变化速率均越来越快。     

Nanoscale precipitates and comprehensive strengthening mechanism in AISI H13 steel

The effects of heat treatment on the precipitates and strengthening mechanism in AISI H13 steel were investigated. The results showed that the presence of nanoscale precipitates favorably affected grain refinement and improved the yield strength. The volume fraction of precipitates increased from 1.05% to 2.85% during tempering, whereas the average precipitate size first decreased then increased during tempering. Contributions to the yield strength arising from the various mechanisms were calculated quantificationally, and the results demonstrated that grain refinement and dislocation density most strongly influenced the yield strength. In addition, under the interaction of average size and volume fraction, precipitates’ contribution to the yield strength ranged from 247.9 to 378.5 MPa. Finally, a root-mean-square summation law of σ = σ_g + σ_s + (σ_d2 + σ_p2)1/2, where σ_g, σ_s, σ_d, and σ_p represent the contributions of fine-grain strengthening, solid-solution strengthening, dislocation strengthening, and precipitation strengthening, respectively, was confirmed as the most applicable for AISI H13 steel, which indicates a strong link between precipitates and dislocations in AISI H13 steel.     

Experimental and numerical study on plasma nitriding of AISI P20 mold steel

In this study, plasma nitriding was used to fabricate a hard protective layer on AISI P20 steel, at three process temperatures (450°C, 500°C, and 550°C) and over a range of time periods (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 h), and at a fixed gas N₂:H₂ ratio of 75vol%:25vol%. The morphology of samples was studied using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the formed phase of each sample was determined by X-ray diffraction. The elemental depth profile was measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, wavelength dispersive spectroscopy, and glow dispersive spectroscopy. The hardness profile of the samples was identified, and the microhardness profile from the surface to the sample center was recorded. The results show that ε-nitride is the dominant species after carrying out plasma nitriding in all strategies and that the plasma nitriding process improves the hardness up to more than three times. It is found that as the time and temperature of the process increase, the hardness and hardness depth of the diffusion zone considerably increase. Furthermore, artificial neural networks were used to predict the effects of operational parameters on the mechanical properties of plastic mold steel. The plasma temperature, running time of imposition, and target distance to the sample surface were all used as network inputs; Vickers hardness measurements were given as the output of the model. The model accurately reproduced the experimental outcomes under different operational conditions; therefore, it can be used in the effective simulation of the plasma nitriding process in AISI P20 steel.     

Corrosion behavior of low alloy steels in a wet–dry acid humid environment

The corrosion behavior of corrosion resistant steel (CRS) in a simulated wet–dry acid humid environment was investigated and compared with carbon steel (CS) using corrosion loss, polarization curves, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), N₂ adsorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the corrosion kinetics of both steels were closely related to the composition and compactness of the rust, and the electrochemical properties of rusted steel. Small amounts of Cu, Cr, and Ni in CRS increased the amount of amorphous phases and decreased the content of γ-FeOOH in the rust, resulting in higher compactness and electrochemical stability of the CRS rust. The elements Cu, Cr, and Ni were uniformly distributed in the CRS rust and formed CuFeO₂, Cu₂O, CrOOH, NiFe₂O₄, and Ni₂O₃, which enhanced the corrosion resistance of CRS in the wet–dry acid humid environment.     

Conductive and corrosion behaviors of silver-doped carbon-coated stainless steel as PEMFC bipolar plates

Ni–Cr enrichment on stainless steel SS316L resulting from chemical activation enabled the deposition of carbon by spraying a stable suspension of carbon nanoparticles; trace Ag was deposited in situ to prepare a thin continuous Ag-doped carbon film on a porous carbon-coated SS316L substrate. The corrosion resistance of this film in 0.5 mol·L-1 H₂SO₄ solution containing 5 ppm F- at 80℃ was investigated using polarization tests. The results showed that the surface treatment of the SS316L strongly affected the adhesion of the carbon coating to the stainless steel. Compared to the bare SS316L, the Ag-doped carbon-coated SS316L bipolar plate was remarkably more stable in both the anode and cathode environments of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and the interface contact resistance between the specimen and Toray 060 carbon paper was reduced from 333.0 mΩ·cm2 to 21.6 mΩ·cm2 at a compaction pressure of 1.2 MPa.     

Effect of shot peening on hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steel

The effect of shot peening (SP) on hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steel was investigated by electrochemical hydrogen charging, slow strain rate tensile tests, and hydrogen permeation tests. Microstructure observation, microhardness, and X-ray diffraction residual stress studies were also conducted on the steel. The results show that the shot peening specimens exhibit a higher resistance to hydrogen embrittlement in comparison with the no shot peening (NSP) specimens under the same hydrogen-charging current density. In addition, SP treatment sharply decreases the apparent hydrogen diffusivity and increases the subsurface hydrogen concentration. These findings are attributed to the changes in microstructure and compressive residual stress in the surface layer by SP. Scanning electron microscope fractographs reveal that the fracture surface of the NSP specimen exhibits the intergranular and quasi-cleavage mixed fracture modes, whereas the SP specimen shows only the quasi-cleavage fractures under the same hydrogen charging conditions, implying that the SP treatment delays the onset of intergranular fracture.     

Effects of stress ratio on the temperature-dependent high-cycle fatigue properties of alloy steels

This paper addresses the effects of stress ratio on the temperature-dependent high-cycle fatigue (HCF) properties of alloy steels 2CrMo and 9CrCo, which suffer from substantial vibrational loading at small stress amplitude, high stress ratio, and high frequency in the high-temperature environments in which they function as blade and rotor spindle materials in advanced gas or steam turbine engines. Fatigue tests were performed on alloy steels 2CrMo and 9CrCo subjected to constant-amplitude loading at four stress ratios and at four and three temperatures, respectively, to determine their temperature-dependent HCF properties. The interaction mechanisms between high temperature and stress ratio were deduced and compared with each other on the basis of the results of fractographic analysis. A phenomenological model was developed to evaluate the effects of stress ratio on the temperature-dependent HCF properties of alloy steels 2CrMo and 9CrCo. Good correlation was achieved between the predictions and actual experiments, demonstrating the practical and effective use of the proposed method.     

外加纳米粒子强化钢铁材料研究的新进展

基于钢中二相粒子对钢的强化作用理论,向钢液中直接加入纳米氧化物粒子强化钢铁材料成为研究热点。目前国内的研究主要集中于粒子的添加方法、种类、影响等方面,但都回避了纳米粒子在钢中能否均匀分散的问题,也未见工业化应用的报道。国际上,研究主要集中于纳米粒子的制备及处理方法等方面,定性分析了粒子的分散性问题。为了使粒子能够均匀分散,粒子的制备和添加方法依然是难点,有关纳米粒子在钢液中的运动行为,热力学稳定性等问题还有待于进一步深入研究。