Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a novel hot-rolled 4% Mn steel processed by intercritical annealing

  • Metals
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study described here focuses on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a novel hot-rolled medium-Mn steel (Fe–0.25C–4Mn–1.88Al–0.6Si–0.04Nb–0.08V, wt%) that contained only 4 wt% Mn and modest Al content of 1.88 wt%. It was found that a relatively high content (25–53 vol%) of retained austenite was obtained by intercritical annealing process. With increase in intercritical annealing temperature from 700 to 740 and to 760 °C, retained austenite fraction increased from 25.1 to 53.2% and then decreased to 46.1%. Besides, mechanical stability of retained austenite in 700–760 °C intercritically annealed steels decreased with increase in intercritical annealing temperature. The 720 °C intercritically annealed steel yielded excellent mechanical properties with yield strength of 766 MPa, tensile strength of 951 MPa, total elongation of 48.6% and PSE of 46.22 GPa·%, achieved by a high volume fraction of retained austenite (46%) with relatively high mechanical stability. Thus, the 4% Mn steel present in this study indicated excellent mechanical properties of medium-Mn steels can be achieved using low alloy content.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhao ZZ, Liang JH, Zhao AM, Liang JT, Tang D, Gao YP (2017) Effects of the austenitizing temperature on the mechanical properties of cold-rolled medium-Mn steel system. J Alloy Compd 691:51–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Lee S, Lee S-J, De Cooman BC (2011) Austenite stability of ultrafine-grained transformation-induced plasticity steel with Mn partitioning. Scr Mater 65:225–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Yang F, Luo H, Hu C, Pu E, Dong H (2017) Effects of intercritical annealing process on microstructures and tensile properties of cold-rolled 7Mn steel. Mater Sci Eng, A 685:115–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Hu B, Luo H (2017) A strong and ductile 7Mn steel manufactured by warm rolling and exhibiting both transformation and twinning induced plasticity. J Alloy Compd 725:684–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Han Y, Shi J, Xu L, Cao WQ, Dong H (2011) TiC precipitation induced effect on microstructure and mechanical properties in low carbon medium manganese steel. Mater Sci Eng A 530:643–651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Park H-S, Seol J-B, Lim N-S, Kim S-I, Park C-G (2015) Study of the decomposition behavior of retained austenite and the partitioning of alloying elements during tempering in CMnSiAl TRIP steels. Mater Des 82:173–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Lee D, Kim JK, Lee S, Lee K, De Cooman BC (2017) Microstructures and mechanical properties of Ti and Mo micro-alloyed medium Mn steel. Mater Sci Eng, A 706:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Steineder K, Krizan D, Schneider R, Beal C, Sommitsch C (2017) On the microstructural characteristics influencing the yielding behavior of ultra-fine grained medium-Mn steels. Acta Mater 139:39–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Luo H, Shi J, Wang C, Cao W, Sun X, Dong H (2011) Experimental and numerical analysis on formation of stable austenite during the intercritical annealing of 5Mn steel. Acta Mater 59:4002–4014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Shi J, Sun X, Wang M, Hui W, Dong H, Cao W (2010) Enhanced work-hardening behavior and mechanical properties in ultrafine-grained steels with large-fractioned metastable austenite. Scr Mater 63:815–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Suh DW, Park SJ, Lee TH, Oh CS, Kim SJ (2010) Influence of Al on the microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of low-carbon, manganese transformation-induced-plasticity steel. Metall Mater Trans A 41:397–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Li ZC, Ding H, Misra RDK, Cai ZH, Li HX (2016) Microstructural evolution and deformation behavior in the Fe-(6, 8.5) Mn–3Al–0.2 C TRIP steels. Mater Sci Eng, A 672:161–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Cai ZH, Ding H, Misra RDK, Ying ZY (2015) Austenite stability and deformation behavior in a cold-rolled transformation-induced plasticity steel with medium manganese content. Acta Mater 84:229–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hong H, Lee OY, Song KH (2003) Effect of Mn addition on the microstructural changes and mechanical properties of C-Mn TRIP Steels. J Korean Soc Heat Treat 16:205–210

    Google Scholar 

  15. Hu B, Luo H, Yang F, Dong H (2017) Recent progress in medium-Mn steels made with new designing strategies, a review. J Mater Sci Technol 33:1457–1464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Gibbs PJ, De Moor E, Merwin MJ, Clausen B, Speer JG, Matlock DK (2011) Austenite stability effects on tensile behavior of manganese-enriched-austenite transformation-induced plasticity steel. Metall Mater Trans A 42:3691–3702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Sun B, Fazeli F, Scott C, Yue S (2016) Phase transformation behavior of medium manganese steels with 3 wt pct aluminum and 3 wt pct silicon during intercritical annealing. Metall Mater Trans A 47:4869–4882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Seo EJ, Cho L, Estrin Y, De Cooman BC (2016) Microstructure-mechanical properties relationships for quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processed steel. Acta Mater 113:124–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sugimoto KI, Usui N, Kobayashi M, Hashimoto SI (1992) Effects of volume fraction and stability of retained austenite on ductility of TRIP-aided dual-phase steels. ISIJ Inter 32:1311–1318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Timokhina IB, Hodgson PD, Pereloma EV (2007) Transmission electron microscopy characterization of the bake-hardening behavior of transformation-induced plasticity and dual-phase steels. Metall Mater Trans A 38:2442–2454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wang J, van der Zwaag S (2001) Stabilization mechanisms of retained austenite in transformation-induced plasticity steel. Metall Mater Trans A 32:1527–1539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. De Moor E, Matlock DK, Speer JG, Merwin MJ (2011) Austenite stabilization through manganese enrichment. Scr Mater 64:185–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Jimenez-Melero E, van Dijk NH, Zhao L, Sietsma J, Offerman SE, Wright JP, van der Zwaag S (2007) Martensitic transformation of individual grains in low-alloyed TRIP steels. Scr Mater 56:421–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Sohn SS, Lee BJ, Lee S, Kim NJ, Kwak JH (2013) Effect of annealing temperature on microstructural modification and tensile properties in 0.35 C–3.5 Mn–5.8 Al lightweight steel. Acta Mater 61:5050–5066

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sugimoto K, Kobayashi M, Hashimoto S (1992) Ductility and strain-induced transformation in a high-strength transformation-induced plasticity-aided dual-phase steel. Metall Mater Trans A 23:3085–3095

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Xu YB, Zou Y, Hu ZP, Han DT, Chen SQ, Misra RDK (2017) Correlation between deformation behavior and austenite characteristics in a Mn-Al type TRIP steel. Mater Sci Eng A 698:126–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Cai ZH, Ding H, Misra RDK, Kong H (2014) Unique serrated flow dependence of critical stress in a hot-rolled Fe–Mn–Al–C steel. Scr Mater 71:5–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Cai ZH, Ding H, Xue X, Xin QB (2013) Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of hot-rolled 11% manganese TRIP steel. Mater Sci Eng A 560:388–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ding R, Tang D, Zhao A, Guo H, He J, Zhi C (2015) Effect of ultragrain refinement on quenching and partitioning steels manufactured by a novel method. Mater Des 87:640–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Seo CH, Kwon KH, Choi K, Kim KH, Kwak JH, Lee S, Kim NJ (2012) Deformation behavior of ferrite–austenite duplex lightweight Fe–Mn–Al–C steel. Scr Mater 66:519–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wang HS, Kang J, Dou WX, Zhang YX, Yuan G, Cao GM, Misra RDK, Wang GD (2017) Microstructure and mechanical properties of hot-rolled and heat-treated TRIP steel with direct quenching process. Mater Sci Eng A 702:350–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Cai Z, Ding H, Ying Z, Misra RDK (2014) Microstructural evolution and deformation behavior of a hot-rolled and heat treated Fe-8Mn-4Al-0.2 C steel. J Mater Eng Perform 23:1131–1137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Sun R, Xu W, Wang C, Shi J, Dong H, Cao W (2012) Work hardening behavior of ultrafine grained duplex medium-Mn steels processed by ART-annealing. Steel Res Int 83:316–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Xu YB, Hu ZP, Zou Y, Tan XD, Han DT, Chen SQ, Ma DG, Misra RDK (2017) Effect of two-step intercritical annealing on microstructure and mechanical properties of hot-rolled medium manganese TRIP steel containing δ-ferrite. Mater Sci Eng A 688:40–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51504063) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (N170706002, N160706001). R. D. K. Misra also gratefully acknowledges continued collaboration with the Northeastern University as honorary professor providing guidance to students in research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation (RAL), Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China

    He-song Wang, Guo Yuan, Meng-fei Lan, Jian Kang, Yuan-xiang Zhang, Guang-ming Cao & Guo-dong Wang

  2. Laboratory for Excellence in Advanced Steel Research, Department of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA

    R. D. K. Misra

Authors
  1. He-song Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guo Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Meng-fei Lan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jian Kang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuan-xiang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Guang-ming Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. R. D. K. Misra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Guo-dong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guo Yuan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, Hs., Yuan, G., Lan, Mf. et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of a novel hot-rolled 4% Mn steel processed by intercritical annealing. J Mater Sci 53, 12570–12582 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2512-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2512-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation