Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High Strength-Ductility Nb-microalloyed Low Martensitic Carbon Steel: Novel Process and Mechanism

  • Published:
Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters) Aims and scope

Abstract

A low-carbon Nb-microalloyed Fe–Mn–Si-based steel was treated by a novel quenching–partitioning–tempering (Q–P–T) process as a modified quenching and partitioning (Q&P) process. After processed by Q–P–T treatment, this steel exhibits excellent mechanical properties such as high product of strength and elongation. The addition of Nb markedly raises both the yield strength and tensile strength of Q–P–T martensitic steel, especially the yield strength, which can be attributed to the strong grain refinement strengthening and precipitation strengthening of Nb. The Nb addition can also lead to a little increase in ductility. The Nb-microalloyed steel treated by Q–P–T process displays much higher ductility than that treated by traditional quenching and tempering (Q&T) process. The mechanisms of Q–P–T process on ductility enhancement were fully analyzed and can be attributed to high quenching temperature and considerable amount of retained austenite.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Van Slycken, P. Verleysen, J. Degrieck, J. Bouquerel, B.C. De Cooman, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 460–461, 516 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Y.I. Son, Y.K. Lee, K.T. Park, C.S. Lee, D.H. Shin, Acta Mater. 53, 3125 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. B.C. De Cooman, Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci. 8, 285 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J. Shi, X. Sun, M. Wang, W. Hui, H. Dong, W. Cao, Scr. Mater. 63, 815 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. J.G. Speer, D.K. Matlock, B.C. De Cooman, J.G. Schroth, Acta Mater. 51, 2611 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J.G. Speer, D.V. Edmonds, F.C. Rizzo, D.K. Matlock, Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci. 8, 219 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. J.G. Speer, D.K. Matlock, B.C. De Cooman, J.G. Schroth, Scr. Mater. 52, 83 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. D.V. Edmonds, K. He, F.C. Rizzo, B.C. De Cooman, D.K. Matlock, J.G. Speer, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 438–440, 25 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. A.J. Clarke, J.G. Speer, M.K. Miller, R.E. Hackenberg, D.V. Edmonds, D.K. Matlock, Acta Mater. 56, 16 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. T.Y. Hsu, Mater. Sci. Forum 561–565, 2283 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. X.D. Wang, B.X. Huang, L. Wang, Y.H. Rong, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 39, 1 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. D.P. Koistinen, R.E. Marburger, Acta Metall. 7, 59 (1959)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. X.D. Wang, N. Zhong, Y.H. Rong, T.Y. Hsu, J. Mater. Res. 24, 260 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. K. Zhang, W.Z. Xu, Z.H. Guo, Y.H. Rong, M.Q. Wang, H. Dong, Acta Metall. Sin. 47, 489 (2011). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  15. N. Zhong, X.D. Wang, L. Wang, Y.H. Rong, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 506, 111 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. V.F. Zackay, E.R. Parker, D. Fahr, R. Busch, ASM Trans. Q. 60, 252 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  17. R. Feng, M.H. Zhang, N.L. Chen, X.W. Zuo, Y.H. Rong, Acta Metall. Sin. 50, 498 (2014). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  18. D. Webster, ASM Trans. Q. 61, 816 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  19. R. Ayer, P.M. Machmeier, Metall. Trans. A 24, 1943 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. C.C. Wang, C. Zhang, Z.G. Yang, Micron 67, 112 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. K. Zhang, M.H. Zhang, Z.H. Guo, N.L. Chen, Y.H. Rong, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 528, 8486 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. S. Shao, S.N. Medyanik, Modell. Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 18, 055010 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Y.H. Rong, Int. Heat Treat. Surf. Eng. 5, 145 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Y. Wang, K. Zhang, Z.H. Guo, N.L. Chen, Y.H. Rong, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 552, 288 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. S.W. Qin, Y. Liu, Q.G. Hao, Y. Wang, N.L. Chen, X.W. Zuo, Y.H. Rong, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 46, 1 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Q.G. Hao, Y. Wang, X.S. Jia, X.W. Zuo, N.L. Chen, Y.H. Rong, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 27, 444 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. S. Zhou, K. Zhang, Y. Wang, J.F. Gu, Y.H. Rong, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 43, 1026 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. R.O. Ritchie, Nat. Mater. 10, 817 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. C.F. Wang, M.Q. Wang, J. Shi, W.J. Hui, H. Dong, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 23, 659 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  30. P.A. Manohar, M. Ferry, T. Chandra, ISIJ Int. 38, 913 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. X.D. Wang, B.X. Huang, Y.H. Rong, L. Wang, in Proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Advanced Structural Steels (ICASS, Gyeongju, Korea, 2006), p. 1152

  32. S. Morito, X. Huang, T. Furuhara, T. Maki, N. Hansen, Acta Mater. 54, 5323 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. X.D. Wang, W.Z. Xu, Z.H. Guo, L. Wang, Y.H. Rong, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 527, 3373 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. K. Lu, L. Lu, S. Suresh, Science 324, 349 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. X.L. Li, Z.H. Guo, Y.H. Rong, H.Y. Wu, S.F. Wu, Acta Metall. Sin. 50, 439 (2014). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  36. C.L. Briant, Mater. Sci. Technol. 5, 138 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. S.S. Nayak, R. Anumolu, R.D.K. Misra, K.H. Kim, D.L. Lee, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 498, 442 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. L. Lu, M.L. Sui, K. Lu, Science 287, 1463 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. W.D. Callister Jr, Materials science and engineering: an introduction, 2nd edn. (Wiley, New York, 1985), p. 306

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51301106).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China

    Ke Zhang, Ping Liu & Wei Li

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Zheng-Hong Guo & Yong-Hua Rong

Authors
  1. Ke Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ping Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wei Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zheng-Hong Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yong-Hua Rong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ke Zhang.

Additional information

Available online at http://link.springer.com/journal/40195

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, K., Liu, P., Li, W. et al. High Strength-Ductility Nb-microalloyed Low Martensitic Carbon Steel: Novel Process and Mechanism. Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 28, 1264–1271 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40195-015-0321-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40195-015-0321-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation