High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method

Surface layers with ultrafine grain (SUF) steels possess excellent crack arrestability. But the strength of the current SUF steels is low and the grain ultrarefinement mechanism is still in doubt. In this study, a high-strength SUF steel has been fabricated by the combination of adding microalloying...

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Main Authors: Xinjun Shen, Dezhi Li, Guodong Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-07-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422007918
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author Xinjun Shen
Dezhi Li
Guodong Wang
author_facet Xinjun Shen
Dezhi Li
Guodong Wang
author_sort Xinjun Shen
collection DOAJ
description Surface layers with ultrafine grain (SUF) steels possess excellent crack arrestability. But the strength of the current SUF steels is low and the grain ultrarefinement mechanism is still in doubt. In this study, a high-strength SUF steel has been fabricated by the combination of adding microalloying elements and intermediate-billet controlled cooling method. Microstructures of the developed SUF steel are characterized by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, electron back-scattered diffraction analyses, and transmission electron microscope. Tensile property and toughness are also determined. The results show that a microstructure dominated by bainitic ferrite forms in the surface layers of the intermediate billet after controlled cooling. A 3.5 mm-thick laminated and ultrafine-grained microstructure is generated after finishing rolling. Thickness ratio of the ultrafine-grained layers is 28.0%. At 2 mm thickness position from the surface, the average grain size is 2.0 μm. And the area fraction of recovered microstructure is 66.4%, which means dynamic recovery is the main grain ultrarefinement mechanism. The microstructure in the mid-thickness position is coarse-grained ferrite and pearlite. Fine and dispersed (Nb, V)C particles are distributed in the grains of ultrafine-grained layers and mid-thickness positions, respectively. The yield strength of the ultrafine-grained layers is 494 MPa, mainly caused by grain ultrarefinement. For the mid-thickness position, the yield strength is 424 MPa. The total strength of the developed SUF steel is larger than 440 MPa. An unexpected phenomenon in which toughness of the ultrafine-grained layers is lower than that of the mid-thickness position is mainly caused by delamination and low elongation.
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spelling doaj.art-f7cec74e09fe4f32a45b59019d59a9e52022-12-22T03:08:29ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542022-07-011914221432High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling methodXinjun Shen0Dezhi Li1Guodong Wang2Shagang School of Iron and Steel, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215021, China; Corresponding author.The State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, ChinaSurface layers with ultrafine grain (SUF) steels possess excellent crack arrestability. But the strength of the current SUF steels is low and the grain ultrarefinement mechanism is still in doubt. In this study, a high-strength SUF steel has been fabricated by the combination of adding microalloying elements and intermediate-billet controlled cooling method. Microstructures of the developed SUF steel are characterized by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, electron back-scattered diffraction analyses, and transmission electron microscope. Tensile property and toughness are also determined. The results show that a microstructure dominated by bainitic ferrite forms in the surface layers of the intermediate billet after controlled cooling. A 3.5 mm-thick laminated and ultrafine-grained microstructure is generated after finishing rolling. Thickness ratio of the ultrafine-grained layers is 28.0%. At 2 mm thickness position from the surface, the average grain size is 2.0 μm. And the area fraction of recovered microstructure is 66.4%, which means dynamic recovery is the main grain ultrarefinement mechanism. The microstructure in the mid-thickness position is coarse-grained ferrite and pearlite. Fine and dispersed (Nb, V)C particles are distributed in the grains of ultrafine-grained layers and mid-thickness positions, respectively. The yield strength of the ultrafine-grained layers is 494 MPa, mainly caused by grain ultrarefinement. For the mid-thickness position, the yield strength is 424 MPa. The total strength of the developed SUF steel is larger than 440 MPa. An unexpected phenomenon in which toughness of the ultrafine-grained layers is lower than that of the mid-thickness position is mainly caused by delamination and low elongation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422007918Surface layers with ultrafine grain steelsIntermediate billet controlled cooling methodDynamic recoveryStrengthToughness
spellingShingle Xinjun Shen
Dezhi Li
Guodong Wang
High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Surface layers with ultrafine grain steels
Intermediate billet controlled cooling method
Dynamic recovery
Strength
Toughness
title High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
title_full High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
title_fullStr High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
title_full_unstemmed High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
title_short High-strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
title_sort high strength surface layers with ultrafine grain steels generated by the intermediate billet controlled cooling method
topic Surface layers with ultrafine grain steels
Intermediate billet controlled cooling method
Dynamic recovery
Strength
Toughness
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422007918
work_keys_str_mv AT xinjunshen highstrengthsurfacelayerswithultrafinegrainsteelsgeneratedbytheintermediatebilletcontrolledcoolingmethod
AT dezhili highstrengthsurfacelayerswithultrafinegrainsteelsgeneratedbytheintermediatebilletcontrolledcoolingmethod
AT guodongwang highstrengthsurfacelayerswithultrafinegrainsteelsgeneratedbytheintermediatebilletcontrolledcoolingmethod