Effect of Short-Term Low-Temperature Austempering on the Microstructure and Abrasive Wear of Medium-Carbon Low-Alloy Steel

Luo, Quanshun; Mei, Haijuan; Kitchen, Matthew; Gao, Yubi; Bowen, Leon

doi:10.1007/s12540-020-00957-6

Effect of Short-Term Low-Temperature Austempering on the Microstructure and Abrasive Wear of Medium-Carbon Low-Alloy Steel

Luo, Quanshun; Mei, Haijuan; Kitchen, Matthew; Gao, Yubi; Bowen, Leon

Authors

Quanshun Luo

Haijuan Mei

Matthew Kitchen

Yubi Gao

Leon Bowen leon.bowen@durham.ac.uk
Senior Manager (Electron Microscopy)

Abstract

Nano-bainitic steels have attracted great attention for good wear resistance. In this research, a medium-carbon low-alloyed steel was austempered at a low temperature close to its martensite-start temperature for various times to obtain mixed microstructure of nano-bainite, martensite and retained austenite. The austempered samples were characterised comprehensively by field-emission SEM and quantitative XRD. Its two-body abrasive wear property was evaluated by sliding on a SiC abrasive disc. The results revealed the formation of initial nano-width carbide-free bainitic ferrite (BF) after austempering by 10 min, whereas the BF size and amount both increased with the austempering time. The austempered samples exhibited wear coefficients lower than the quenched martensitic sample by up to 50%. SEM and TEM observations showed wear mechanisms of micro-cutting and ploughing deformation, including the formation of a nano-laminate top layer and bending deformation in the subsurface multiphase microstructure. The decreased wear loss was attributed to the role of retained austenite in the increased plasticity.

Citation

Luo, Q., Mei, H., Kitchen, M., Gao, Y., & Bowen, L. (2021). Effect of Short-Term Low-Temperature Austempering on the Microstructure and Abrasive Wear of Medium-Carbon Low-Alloy Steel. Metals and Materials International, 27(9), 3115-3131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-020-00957-6

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Dec 20, 2020
Online Publication Date	Apr 16, 2021
Publication Date	2021-09
Deposit Date	Aug 12, 2021
Publicly Available Date	Aug 12, 2021
Journal	Metals and Materials International
Print ISSN	1598-9623
Electronic ISSN	2005-4149
Publisher	Springer
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	27
Issue	9
Pages	3115-3131
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-020-00957-6
Public URL	https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1244043

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