Measuring the Influence of Pearlite Dissolution on the Transient Dynamic Strength of Rapidly Heated Plain Carbon Steels

Carbon steels containing ferrite-pearlite microstructures weaken dramatically when pearlite dissolves into austenite on heating. The kinetics of this phase transformation, while fast, can play a role during dynamic, high-temperature manufacturing processes, including high-speed machining, when the time scale of this transformation is on the order of the manufacturing process itself. In such a regime, the mechanical strength of carbon steel can become time dependent. The present work uses a rapidly heated, high-strain-rate mechanical test to study the effect of temperature and time on the amount of pearlite dissolved and on the resulting transient effect on dynamic strength of a low and a high carbon (eutectoid) steel. Measurements indicate that the transient effect occurs for heating times less than about 3 s. The 1075 steel loses about twice the strength compared to the 1018 steel (85 MPa to 45 MPa) owing to its higher initial pearlite volume fraction. Pearlite dissolution is confirmed by metallographic examination of tested samples. Despite the different starting pearlite fractions, the kinetics of dissolution are comparable for the two steels, owing to the similarity in their initial pearlite morphology.