Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Influence of Thermal Cycles on the Performance and Spheroidization Process of SAE 8640 Steels

  • Technical Article
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Variations in the microstructure of steel materials might change the alloy’s properties and characteristics and influence the performance of manufacturing processes. The literature on the materials characterization in this area has been limited to examining the effects of the spheroidization of microstructure in certain materials. Taking this into account, this study aims to assess the influence of the spheroidization rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties in a SAE 8640 steel subjected to different annealing cycles. Three different thermal cycles were tested, varying the time, temperature, and type parameters. The practical results of the annealing cycles were evaluated through optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microhardness tests, and x-ray diffraction. Findings showed hardness reduction for all the cycles examined, particularly for Cycle III (isothermal annealing), whose reduction was approximately 98 Hv compared to the samples without heat treatment. The findings showed that hardness values below the average at 0.10 mm under the tested surfaces were observed in the three cycles examined, suggesting the occurrence of the decarburization process. A spheroidization rate of 79.93% was achieved in Cycle II (pendulum temperature behavior). The study’s findings make a positive contribution to the research that investigates the mapping of the metallurgical and mechanical aspects of spherical low-alloy and medium-carbon steels.

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

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. E.D.R. Vieira, L.V. Biehl, J.L.B. Medeiros, V.M. Costa, and R.J. Macedo, Evaluation of the Characteristics of an AISI 1045 Steel Quenched in Different Concentration of Polymer Solutions of Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Sci. Rep., 2021, 11, p 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. J.W. Seon et al., The Effect of a Non-Circular Drawing Sequence on Spheroidization of Medium Carbon Steel Wires, J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2016, 216, p 348356.

    Google Scholar 

  3. L.H.D. Santos, L. Schaeffer, and S.Q. Fortunato et al., Study of Full Annealing and Spheroidizing Heat Treatments in the ABNT 1045 Steel Cold Flow Stress Curves, Tecnologia Metalurgica de Materiais e Mineração, 2018, 15(1), p 75–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. V. Alcántara et al., Spheroidizing in Steels: Processes, Mechanisms, Kinetic and Microstructure -A Review, IOSR J. Mech. Civ. Eng., 2021, 18, p 63–81.

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. Saha, D.K. Mondal, and J. Maity, An Alternate Approach to Accelerated Spheroidization in Steel by Cyclic Annealing, J. Mater. Eng. Perform., 2011, 20(1), p 114–119.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. C. Prasad, P. Bhuian et al., Microstructure Engineering by Dispersing Nano-Spheroid Cementite in Ultrafine-Grained Ferrite and its Implications on Strength-Ductility Relationship in High Carbon Steel, Mater. Des., 2018, 139, p 324–335.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Z. Li et al., Microstructure of Hot Rolled 1.0C-1.5Cr Bearing Steel and Subsequent Spheroidization Annealing, Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 1987, 18A, p 1403–1414.

    Google Scholar 

  8. W. You et al., Materialometrical Approach of Predicting the Austenite Formation Temperatures, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2006, 419, p 276–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. D. Zhenglin and S. Xianchong et al., Thermo-Metallurgical Simulation and Performance Evaluation of Hybrid Laser Arc Welding of Chromium-Molybdenum Steel, Mater. Des., 2021, 210, p 110029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. H. Zhao, J. Gao, J. Qi, Z. Tian, H. Chen, H. Zhang, and C. Wang, Modelling and Simulation of Isothermal and Continuous-Heating Surface Decarburization Behaviour of Fe-0.6C-1.8Si-0.8Mn Spring Steel, J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2021, 15, p 1076–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. P.C. Hernandéz, J.E. Fonseca, and L.F. Dick, Development of Methodology for Evaluation of Spheroidized Steels, Tecnologia Metalúrgica de Materiais e Mineração, 2013, 6(3), p 158–61.

    Google Scholar 

  12. J.M. O’Brien and W.F. Hosford, Spheroidization Cycles for Medium Carbon Steels, Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2002, 33(4), p 1255–1261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. I. Muda and D. P. Dunne, Effect of annealing cycle on drawability and microstructure of cold rolled steel sheet. in: IOP conference series: materials science and engineering, 2019, 547.

  14. M. Çetin and Ç. Demirel, A Study on Abrasive Wear and Corrosion Behaviour of Boronized AISI 8640 CAST Steel, Eur. Int. J. Sci. Technol., 2018, 7(9), p 14–32.

    Google Scholar 

  15. J. Wei, Y. Zhou, J. Dong, X. He, and W. Ke, Effect of Cementite Spheroidization on Improving Corrosion Resistance of Pearlitic Steel Under Simulated Bottom Plate Environment of Cargo Oil Tank, Materialia, 2019, 6, p 100316.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Y. Yang, M.F. Yan, Y.X. Zhang, C.S. Zhang, and X.A. Wand, Self-Lubricating and Anti-Corrosion Amorphous Carbon/Fe3C Composite Coating on M50NiL Steel by Low Temperature Plasma Carburizing, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2016, 304, p 142–149.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. L. Wei, K. Gao, and Q. Li, Corrosion of Low Alloy Steel Containing 0.5% Chromium in Supercriti-Cal CO2-Saturated Brine and Water-Saturated Supercritical CO2 Environments, Appl. Surf. Sci., 2018, 440, p 524–534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. R.C.L.M. Oliveira, L.V. Biehl, M.J.L. Braz, D. Ferreira Filho, and J.D. Souza, Análise Comparativa Entre A Têmpera e Partição Versus A Têmpera E Revenimento Para O Aço Sae 4340, Rev. Mater., 2019, 24, p 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Y. Su and L.J. Miao et al., Effect of Isothermal Quenching on Microstructure and Hardness of GCr15 Steel, J. Market. Res., 2021, 15, p 2820–2827.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. A.Y.P. Sébastien et al., Microstructure-Based Behavior Law for Globular Pearlitic Steels, J. Market. Res., 2019, 8(3), p 3373–3376.

    Google Scholar 

  21. J.M. O’Brien and W.F. Hosford, Spheroidization of Medium-Carbon Steels, J. Mater. Eng. Perform., 1997, 6(1), p 69–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. ASTM E112. Standard Test Methods for Determining Average Grain Size. ASTM, 2021.

  23. J. Arruabarrena and J.M.R. Ibabe, Enhancement of the AISI 5140 Cold Heading Wire Steel Spheroidization by Adequate Control of the Initial As-Rolled Microstructure, Metals, 2021, 11, p 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, Brazil

    João Vitor Piovisan Dalla Nora, Jorge Luis Braz Medeiros & Luciano Volcanoglo Biehl

  2. Federal University of Santa Maria, Cachoeira do Sul, Brazil

    Guilherme Vieira Braga Lemos

  3. Federal University of Sergipe, Sao Cristovao, Sergipe, Brazil

    Carlos Otávio Damas Martins

  4. Liberato Salzano Vieira da Cunha Technical School Foundation, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil

    José de Souza

  5. Aarhus University, 8000, Herning, Denmark

    Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco

Authors
  1. João Vitor Piovisan Dalla Nora
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jorge Luis Braz Medeiros
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Luciano Volcanoglo Biehl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Guilherme Vieira Braga Lemos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Carlos Otávio Damas Martins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. José de Souza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nora, J.V.P.D., Medeiros, J.L.B., Biehl, L.V. et al. The Influence of Thermal Cycles on the Performance and Spheroidization Process of SAE 8640 Steels. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 32, 4932–4940 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-022-07466-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-022-07466-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation