Mechanical properties of quenched low alloy medium-carbon steel

doi:10.13251/j.issn.0254-6051.2024.02.026

Abstract

Abstract: A low-cost low alloy medium-carbon steel was produced, and its mechanical properties were investigated. The low-cycle fatigue behavior of the tested steel was investigated by controlling the total strain amplitude. The results show that the tested steel salt bath quenched at 302 ℃ for 2 h has a relatively high tensile strength of 957 MPa. As the salt bath quenching temperature increases to 312 ℃, the tensile strength decreases, but the U-notched impact property increases, with the salt bath temperature further increasing, the impact property is reduced. The increase of salt bath holding time results in the decrease of hardness of the tested steel. Under high strain amplitude (0.80%), the initial hardening rate of the steel salt bath quenched at 312 ℃ is lower, while the tested steel with higher strength martensite salt bath quenched at 302 ℃ has higher low-cycle fatigue strength and fatigue life.

Key words: medium-carbon steel, quenching, mechanical properties, low-cycle fatigue

CLC Number:

TG161

Jin Dongliang, Wang Gaofeng, Ma Xiqiang, Yu Weitao, Di Zhengxian, Wei Shizhong. Mechanical properties of quenched low alloy medium-carbon steel[J]. Heat Treatment of Metals, 2024, 49(2): 172-178.

References

[1]Liu M, Hu H, Kern M, et al. Effect of integrated austempering and Q&P treatment on the transformation kinetics, microstructure and mechanical properties of a medium-carbon steel[J]. Materials Science and Engineering A, 2023, 869: 144780.
[2]Rementeria R, Morales-Rivas L, Kuntz M, et al. On the role of microstructure in governing the fatigue behaviour of nanostructured bainitic steels[J]. Materials Science and Engineering A, 2015, 630: 71-77.
[3]Caballero F G, Santofimia M J, García-Mateo C, et al. Theoretical design and advanced microstructure in super high strength steels[J]. Materials & Design, 2009, 30(6): 2077-2083.
[4]Li Z D, Zhou S T, Yang C F, et al. High/very high cycle fatigue behaviors of medium carbon pearlitic wheel steels and the effects of microstructure and non-metallic inclusions[J]. Materials Science and Engineering A, 2019, 764: 138208.
[5]Li T, Zhong Y, Qu S, et al. Influences of the characteristics of carbide particles on the rolling contact fatigue life of rare earth modified, highly clean bearing steel[J]. Engineering Failure Analysis, 2023, 143: 106888.
[6]Gao B, Tan Z, Liu Z, et al. Influence of non-uniform microstructure on rolling contact fatigue behavior of high-speed wheel steels[J]. Engineering Failure Analysis, 2019, 100: 485-491.
[7]Yang C, Liu P, Luan Y, et al. Study on transverse-longitudinal fatigue properties and their effective-inclusion-size mechanism of hot rolled bearing steel with rare earth addition[J]. International Journal of Fatigue, 2019, 128: 105193.
[8]Pashangeh S, Somani M, Banadkouki S S G. Microstructural evolution in a high-silicon medium carbon steel following quenching and isothermal holding above and below the Ms temperature[J]. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 2020, 9(3): 3438-3446.
[9]Li X, Shi L, Liu Y, et al. Achieving a desirable combination of mechanical properties in HSLA steel through step quenching[J]. Materials Science and Engineering A, 2020, 772: 138683.
[10]张博涵, 李浩楠, 高鹏冲, 等. 分级淬火对高铬铸铁轧辊组织的影响[J]. 金属热处理, 2022, 47(7): 15-20.
Zhang Bohan, Li Haonan, Gao Pengchong, et al. Effect of step quenching process on microstructure of high-Cr cast iron roll[J]. Heat Treatment of Metals, 2022, 47(7): 15-20.
[11]Cong T, Qian G, Zhang G, et al. Effects of inclusion size and stress ratio on the very-high-cycle fatigue behavior of pearlitic steel[J]. International Journal of Fatigue, 2021, 142: 105958.
[12]Li C, Dai W, Liu Y, et al. Effect of cooling condition on fatigue behavior of the forged EA4T steel[J]. Steel Research International, 2020, 91(9): 2000167.
[13]Hu Y, Guo L C, Maiorino M, et al. Comparison of wear and rolling contact fatigue behaviours of bainitic and pearlitic rails under various rolling-sliding conditions[J]. Wear, 2020, 460-461: 203455.
[14]Wang J, Qu S, Lai F, et al. Synergistic effects of a combined surface modification technology on rolling contact fatigue behaviors of 20CrMoH steel under different contact stresses[J]. International Journal of Fatigue, 2021, 153: 106487.
[15]Atreya V, Bos C, Santofimia M J. Understanding ferrite deformation caused by austenite to martensite transformation in dual phase steels[J]. Scripta Materialia, 2021, 202: 114032.
[16]Shewmon P. The thermal diffusion of carbon in α and γ iron[J]. Acta Metallurgica, 1960, 8(9): 605-611.
[17]龙晓燕. 中碳无碳化物贝氏体钢组织和性能研究[D]. 秦皇岛: 燕山大学, 2018.
[18]Zhou Q, Qian L, Meng J, et al. Low-cycle fatigue behavior and microstructural evolution in a low-carbon carbide-free bainitic steel[J]. Materials & Design, 2015, 85: 487-496.