Constituent-specific properties in quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processed steel

The present work provides an insight into the phase-specific mechanical properties of the microstructural constituents in a quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processed steel. The mechanical properties of carbon-enriched retained austenite and low-carbon primary martensite were studied by nano-indentation tests. The results show that the hardness of the carbon-enriched retained austenite is slightly higher than or, at least, comparable to that of the low-carbon primary martensite. The evidence of the strain hardening due to the transformation of retained austenite to twinned martensite during the nano-indentation compression is also shown.