In-situ SEM characterization and numerical modelling of bainite formation and impingement of a medium- carbon, low-alloy steel

A novel in-situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization technique for observing phase transformation is developed and its results studied and compared to well-founded experimental ex-situ methods as well as numerical modelling of bainite formation. Phase transformation kinetics are compared between the in-situ SEM, dilatometry test as well as mean field and Cellular Automata (CA) models. Microstructural evolution during phase transformation is compared between in-situ SEM, ex-situ EBSD and CA model results. The in-situ method allows for direct observation of bainite sheaf growth and impingement. The in-situ results in combination with EBSD data can be used to parameterize the CA model sheaf nucleation and growth equations.& COPY; 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

A novel in-situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization technique is developed for observing phase transformation and its results are compared with experimental ex-situ methods and numerical modeling. The kinetics of phase transformation are compared between the in-situ SEM, dilatometry test, and numerical models. The microstructural evolution during phase transformation is compared between the in-situ SEM, ex-situ EBSD, and numerical model results. The in-situ method allows for direct observation of bainite sheaf growth and impingement, which can be used to parameterize the CA model sheaf nucleation and growth equations when combined with EBSD data.