AUSTENITE - FERRITE TRANSFORMATION TEMPERATURES OF C-MN-AL HSLA STEEL

The article is aimed to investigate a shift of transformation temperatures of C-Mn-Al HSLA steel with different cooling rates. The transformation temperatures from austenite to ferrite have been determined by dilatometry using thermal-mechanical simulator Gleeble 1500D. To define the start and finishing temperatures of the austenite-ferrite transformation intersectional method was used. Effect of cooling rate on transformation temperature has been evaluated for 0.17, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 degrees C.s(-1). There was found out that rising the cooling rate results in moving transformation temperature range to lower temperatures. The transformation temperatures have been also compared with temperatures calculated using equations of several authors. Some of them have considered cooling rates only. Cooling rates have effect on final microstructure. The effect has been evaluated by measuring hardness (HV10) relating the cooling rates from 0.17 to 25 degrees C.s(-1). Increasing cooling rates resulted in increase of hardness. Moreover, Thermo-Calc software was used to determine the Ae3 and Ae1 equilibrium temperatures. Equilibrium transformation temperatures Ae3-Ae1 were higher than experimentally measured by dilatometric method using Gleeble 1500D.

Automated summary

This study investigated the transformation temperatures of C-Mn-Al HSLA steel with different cooling rates using a thermal-mechanical simulator. The results showed that increasing cooling rates led to a shift of transformation temperature range to lower temperatures, impacting the final microstructure and hardness. Additionally, equilibrium transformation temperatures calculated using software were higher than experimentally measured values.