A Novel Mo and Nb Microalloyed Medium Mn TRIP Steel with Maximal Ultimate Strength and Moderate Ductility

The multi-phase, metastable, and multi-scale (M3) constitution of a novel transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel (Fe-0.17C-6.5Mn-1.1Al-0.22Mo-0.05Nb, wt pct) was designed through thermodynamic calculations combined with experimental analysis. In this study, Mo and Nb microalloying was used to control the fraction of retained austenite and its mechanical stability during tensile deformation and to improve the yield strength. Thermodynamic calculations were developed to determine the critical annealing temperature, at which a large fraction of retained austenite (~38 pct) would be obtained through the effects of solute enrichment. The experimental observation was in good agreement with the predicted results. According to the critical annealing temperature, such an ultrafine (<200 nm) M3, microstructure with optimum mechanical stability was successfully achieved. The results of this work demonstrated the superior performance with improved yield strength of 1020 to 1140 MPa and excellent ductility (>30 pct), as compared with other TRIP steels. Both angle-selective backscatter and electron backscatter diffraction techniques were employed to interpret the transformation from the deformed martensitic laths to the ultrafine austenite and ferrite duplex structure.

Fatigue life studies in carbon dual-phase steels

An investigation has been conducted to examine the morphological influence on fatigue life of low carbon steel with dual phase microstructure. The results showed that dual-phase microstructure, composed by ferrite and martensite had superior symmetrical bending fatigue strength when compared with ferrite-pearlite steel. Through those tests, evidences of different mechanisms were verified (such as ferrite cyclic hardening, slip band formation and beginning of crack nucleation and propagation). Based on the fatigue tests results, various mechanisms stages were discussed associated with different microstructure morphology. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier B.V. Limited.

SAE 1045 steel/WC-Co/Ni-Cu-Ni/SAE 1045 steel joints prepared by dynamic diffusion bonding: Microelectrochemical studies in 0.6 M NaCl solution

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Optimization of the mechanical properties of low-carbon steels by formation of a multiphase microstructure

In this work five methods of heat treatments are investigated in order to obtained convenient volume fractions of ferrite, bainite, martensite and retained austenite, starting with a low carbon steel and seeking the distinction of the phases, through optical microscopy. Specific chemical etching is improved. The results in tensile and fatigue tests were accomplished and the results were related with the microstructural parameters. The results show that the mechanical properties are closely related with the phases, grains size and the phases morphology. Copyright © 2001 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

Determination of the volume fraction of retained austenite in a 300m steel by heat tinting technique

Applying the Heat Tinting Technique the microestrutural characterization of a 300M steel (medium carbon steel) was accomplished. The steel was austenitized for 20 min to 900°C, followed by holding at 400°C (in the bainitic temperature), with maintenance time of the material in the temperature of 1min, 5min and 30min, aiming at the formation of a multiphase structure. Through the metallographic analysis it is verified that, with the use of this technique, it is possible the determination of the volume fraction of the present phases in the 300M steel, especially in the identification and quantification of the retained austenite. Copyright © 2007 SAE International.

Microstructural effects on fatigue crack growth behavior of a microalloyed steel

Thermal transformations on microalloyed steels can produce multiphase microstructures with different amounts of ferrite, martensite, bainite and retained austenite. These different phases, with distinct morphologies, are determinant of the mechanical behavior of the steel and can, for instance, affect the crack path or promote crack shielding, thus resulting in changes on its propagation rate under cyclic loading. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the effects of microstructure on the tensile strength and fatigue crack growth (FCG) behaviour of a 0.08%C-1,5%Mn (wt. pct.) microalloyed steel, recently developed by a Brazilian steel maker under the designation of RD480. This steel is being considered as a promising alternative to replace low carbon steel in wheel components for the automotive industry. Various microstructural conditions were obtained by means of heat treatments followed by water quench, in which the material samples were kept at the temperatures of 800, 950 and 1200 °C. In order to describe the FCG behavior, two models were tested: the conventional Paris equation and a new exponential equation developed for materials showing non-linear FCG behavior. The results allowed correlating the tensile properties and crack growth resistance to the microstructural features. It is also shown that the Region II FCG curves of the dual and multiphase microstructural conditions present crack growth transitions that are better modeled by dividing them in two parts. The fracture surfaces of the fatigued samples were observed via scanning electron microscopy in order to reveal the fracture mechanisms presented by the various material conditions. © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Carbon nanotube-reinforced siloxane-PMMA hybrid coatings with high corrosion resistance

Siloxane-polymethyl methacrylate hybrid films containing functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were deposited by dip-coating on carbon steel substrates from a sol prepared by radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate and 3-methacryloxy propyl-trimethoxysilane, followed by hydrolytic co-polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane. The correlation between the structural properties and corrosion protection efficiency was studied as a function of the molar ratio of nanotubes carbon to silicon, varied in the range between 0.1% and 5%. 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance and thermogravimetric measurements have shown that hybrids containing carbon nanotubes have a similar degree of polycondensation and thermal stability as the undoped matrix and exhibit and excellent adhesion to the substrate. Microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed a very good dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the hybrid matrix and the presence of carboxylic groups allowing covalent bonding with the end-siloxane nodes. Potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results demonstrate that CNTs containing coatings maintain the excellent corrosion protection efficiency of the hybrids, showing even a superior performance in acidic solution. The nanocomposite structure acts as efficient corrosion barrier, increasing the total impedance by 4 orders of magnitude and reducing the current densities by more than 3 orders of magnitude, compared to the bare steel electrode. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Second Phase Precipitation in Ultrafine-grained Ferrite Steel

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

An Isothermal Study of an S.A.E. 6150 Steel

The purpose of this thesis is to set forth the method followed, the laboratory procedure practiced, the results obtained, the conclu­sions drawn, and the recommendations proposed as a consequence of a metallographic study of the isothermal transformation of an S.A.E. 6150 steel.

Residual stress distribution in ferritic-austenitic steel joints made by laser welding

The present investigation addresse the influence of laser welding process-ing parameters used for joining dis-similar metals (ferritic to austenitic steel), on the induced residual stress field. Welding was performed on a Nd:YAG laser DY033 (3300 W) in a continuous wave (CW), keyhole mode. The base metals (BM) employed in this study are AISI 1010 carbon steel (CS) and AISI 304L austenitic stainless steel (SS). Pairs of dissimilar plates of 200 mm x 45 mm x 3 mm were butt joined by laser welding. Different sets of parameters were used to engineer the base metals apportionment at joint formation, namely distinct dilution rates. Residual strain scanning, carried out by neutron diffraction was used to assess the joints. Through-thickness residual stress maps were determined for the laser welded samples of dis-similar steels using high spatial reso-lution. As a result, an appropriate set of processing parameters, able to mi-nimize the local tensile residual stress associated to the welding process, was found.

Residual stress distribution in ferritic to austenitic steel joints made by laser welding,

In this study, autogenous laser welding was used to join thin plates of low carbon ferritic and austenitic stainless steel. Due to the differences in the thermo-physical properties of base metals, this kind of weld exhibits a complex microstructure, which frequently leads to an overall loss of joint quality. Four welded samples were prepared by using different sets of processing parameters, with the aim of minimizing the induced residual stress field. The dissimilar austenitic-ferritic joints obtained under all welding conditions were uniform and free of defects. Variations in beam position did not influence the weld geometiy, which is a typical keyhole welding. Microstructural characterization and residual strain scanning (by neutron diffraction) were used to assess the features of the joints. By varying laser beam power density and by displacing the laser beam towards the carbon steel side, an optimum combination of processing parameters was found.

Overall vs. local mechanical behaviour of ferritic austenitic steel joints made by laser welding

The present investigation addresses the overall and local mechanical performance of dissimilar joints of low carbon steel (CS) and stainless Steel (SS) thin sheets achieved by laser welding in case of heat source displacement from the weld gap centreline towards CS. Welding was performed on a Nd:YAG laser DY033 (3300 W) in a continuos wave (CW), keyhole mode. The tensile behavior of the joint different zones assessed by using a video-image based system (VIC-2D) reveals that the residual stress field, together with the positive difference in yield between the weld metal and the base materials protects the joint from being plastically deformed. The tensile loadings of flat transverse specimens generate the strain localization and failure in CS, far away from the weld.

Corrosion of stainless steel components in seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants-investigations on adapted internal cathodic protection

Stainless steel is widely used in seawater reverse osmosis units (SWRO) for both good mechanical and corrosion resistance properties. However, many corrosion failures of stainless steel in SWRO desalination units have been reported. These failures may often be attributed to un-adapted stainless steel grade selection and/or to the particular aggressive seawater conditions in "warm" regions (high ambient temperature, severe biofouling, etc.). Cathodic protection (CP) is a well-known efficient system to prevent corrosion of metallic materials in seawater. It is successfully used in the oil and gas industry to protect carbon steel structures exposed in open-sea. However, the specific service conditions of SWRO units may seriously affect the efficiency of such anti-corrosion system (high flow rates, large stainless steel surfaces affected by biofouling, confinement limiting protective cathodic current flow, etc.). Hence, CP in SWRO units should be considered with special care and modeling appears as useful tool to assess an appropriate CP design. However, there is a clear lack of CP data that could be transposed to SWRO service conditions (i.e. stainless steel, effect of biofouling, high flow rate, etc.). From this background a Join Industry Program was initiated including laboratory exposures, field measurements in a full scale SWRO desalination plant, and modeling work using PROCOR software. The present paper reviews the main parameters affecting corrosion of stainless steel alloys in seawater reverse osmosis units. CP on specific stainless steel devices was investigated in order to assess its actual efficiency for SWRO units. Severe environmental conditions were intentionally used to promote corrosion on the tested stainless steel products in order to evaluate the efficiency of CP. The study includes a modeling work aiming at predicting and designing adapted CP protection to modeled stainless steel units. An excellent correlation between modeling work and field measurements was found.

Synergistic corrosion inhibition of mild steel in aqueous chloride solutions by an imidazolinium carboxylate salt

Mild steel infrastructure is constantly under corrosive attack in most environmental and industrial conditions. There is an ongoing search for environmentally friendly, highly effective inhibitor compounds that can provide a protective action in situations ranging from the marine environment to oil and gas pipelines. In this work an organic salt comprising a protic imidazolinium cation and a 4-hydroxycinnamate anion has been shown to produce a synergistic corrosion inhibition effect for mild steel in 0.01 M NaCl aqueous solutions under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions; an important and unusual phenomenon for one compound to support inhibition across a range of pH conditions. Significantly, the individual components of this compound do not inhibit as effectively at equivalent concentrations, particularly at pH 2. Immersion studies show the efficacy of these inhibitors in stifling corrosion as observed from optical, SEM, and profilometry experiments. The mechanism of inhibition appears to be dominated by anodic behavior where dissolution of the steel, and in particular the pitting process, is stifled. FTIR spectroscopy provides confirmation of a protective interfacial layer, with the observation of interactions between the steel surface and 4-hydroxycinnamate.