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Strength–toughness improvement of 13Cr4NiMo martensitic stainless steel with thermal cyclic heat treatment

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Abstract

To improve the strength–toughness of 13Cr4NiMo martensitic stainless steel (13-4MSS), a thermal cyclic heat treatment (TCHT) combined with the advantage of tempering was proposed. The microstructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron backscattered diffraction, and the mechanical behaviors in terms of tensile properties and impact toughness were analyzed in correlation with microstructural evolution. It was found that grains and the martensitic matrix were refined by TCHT through the cyclic quenching transformation and austenite recrystallization, which was conducive to more nucleation quantity of reversed austenite during tempering. Two-spherical-cap nucleation model was used to explain the effect of refined grains of TCHT on the nucleation of reversed austenite. Grain refinement by TCHT improved the brittle fracture stress to reduce the ductile–brittle transition temperature and thus improved the cryogenic impact toughness of 13-4MSS. Reversed austenite distributed at the martensitic lath boundary enhances the crack arrest performance and increases the brittle fracture stress. It is concluded that reasonable TCHT plus tempering process significantly improves the strength–toughness of 13-4MSS, reflecting the comprehensive effect of grain refinement and reversed austenite.

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Acknowledgements

This project is supported by Specific Research Project of Guangxi for Research Bases and Talents (Grant No. GuiKe AD19245145) and Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province (Grant No. 2018GXNSFBA281106).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Featured Metal Materials and Life-Cycle Safety for Composite Structures, MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials, and School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China

    Jie Xiong, Yao-lin Tong, Jie-long Peng & Sheng-hua Zhang

  2. Key Laboratory of High Performance Structural Materials and Thermo-Surface Processing, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China

    Sheng-hua Zhang

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  1. Jie Xiong
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  2. Yao-lin Tong
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Correspondence to Sheng-hua Zhang.

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Xiong, J., Tong, Yl., Peng, Jl. et al. Strength–toughness improvement of 13Cr4NiMo martensitic stainless steel with thermal cyclic heat treatment. J. Iron Steel Res. Int. 30, 1499–1510 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42243-023-00960-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42243-023-00960-2

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