The Role of Retained Austenite and Its Carbon Concentration on Elongation of Low Temperature Bainitic Steels at Different Austenitising Temperature

Heat Treatment Design for a QP Steel: Effect of Partitioning Temperature

Designing a new family of advanced high-strength steels (AHSSs) to develop automotive parts that cover early industry needs is the aim of many investigations. One of the candidates in the 3rd family of AHSS are the quenching and partitioning (QP) steels. These steels display an excellent relationship between strength and formability, making them able to fulfill the requirements of safety, while reducing automobile weight to enhance the performance during service. The main attribute of QP steels is the TRIP effect that retained austenite possesses, which allows a significant energy absorption during deformation. The present study is focused on evaluating some process parameters, especially the partitioning temperature, in the microstructures and mechanical properties attained during a QP process. An experimental steel (0.2C-3.5Mn-1.5Si (wt%)) was selected and heated according to the theoretical optimum quenching temperature. For this purpose, heat treatments in a quenching dilatometry and further microstructural and mechanical characterization were carried out by SEM, XRD, EBSD, and hardness and tensile tests, respectively. The samples showed a significant increment in the retained austenite at an increasing partitioning temperature, but with strong penalization on the final ductility due to the large amount of fresh martensite obtained as well.

Metallurgical Characterization of Welded Joint of Nanostructured Bainite: Regeneration Technique versus Post Welding Heat Treatment

One of the main limitations in application of nanostructured carbide-free bainite as a construction material is the difficulty of joining. This research presents a structural characterization of welded joints of medium carbon 55Si7 grade steel after the welding process with a regeneration technique as well as post welding heat treatment (PWHT). The hardness distribution of the welded joint with regeneration exhibit an overall decrease in hardness when compared to the base material and a significant decrease in hardness was observed in the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Unfavorable hardness distribution was caused by the presence of diffusion-type transformations products (pearlite) in the HAZ and bainite degradation processes. On the other hand, welding with the PWHT promotes the achievement of a comparable level of hardness and structure as in the base material. However, a slight decrease in hardness was observed in the weld zone due to the micro-segregation of the chemical composition caused by the indissoluble solidification structure. Based on the structural analysis, it was found that steel with relatively low hardenability (55Si7) should be welded using PWHT rather than a regeneration technique.

Welding Capabilities of Nanostructured Carbide-Free Bainite: Review of Welding Methods, Materials, Problems, and Perspectives

This article presents state-of-the-art welding methods and the weldability aspect of steels, particularly high-carbon nanobainitic (NB) steels, without carbide precipitates (CFB—carbide-free bainite). On the basis of research conducted to date, all welding methods with parameters and weld metals for NB CFB are presented. It was found that the process parameters significantly affected the mechanical properties of the welds, which were determined primarily by the properties of the low-temperature heat-affected zone. The microstructures of welded joints in the heat-affected and fusion zones are also described. The general requirements for welding processes, as well as problems and perspectives for further research, are presented.