Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanisms of strength–plasticity enhancement and stress-induced phase transition in a medium-carbon low-alloy steel

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Iron and Steel Research International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A medium-carbon low-alloy steel with designed chemical composition was investigated. The steel exhibits an excellent product of strength and elongation value of 31,832 MPa% through quenching and partitioning treatment, with a tensile strength of 1413 MPa and elongation of 22%. X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy characterizations confirm that the retained austenite in the specimens undergoes stress-induced phase transformation to the martensite and hexagonal phases, namely the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect is triggered. This TRIP effect, triggered by the stress-induced phase transition of retained austenite, is responsible for the excellent mechanical properties obtained in the steel. For further investigating the stress-induced phase transition mechanism, thermodynamic methods are applied. Gibbs free energy of face-centered cubic-Fe, ε-Fe, ω-Fe and body-centered cubic-Fe associated with the stress-induced phase transition was calculated using molecular dynamics simulations, and a calculation method of strain energy in thermodynamic units for the stress-induced martensitic transformation is presented. The final results reveal the process and thermodynamic mechanism of stress-induced martensitic transformation in medium-carbon steels, in which the hexagonal phase can participate in the process as an intermediate product.

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
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G. Jha, S. Das, S. Sinha, A. Lodh, A. Haldar, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 561 (2013) 394–402.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. R. Xu, J. Liu, Y. Zhang, R. Guo, W. Liu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 438–440 (2006) 459–463.

    Google Scholar 

  3. J. Gao, S. Jiang, H. Zhang, Y. Huang, D. Guan, Y. Xu, S. Guan, L.A. Bendersky, A.V. Davydov, Y. Wu, H. Zhu, Y. Wang, Z. Lu, W.M. Rainforth, Nature 590 (2021) 262–267.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. R. Ding, Y. Yao, B. Sun, G. Liu, J. He, T. Li, X. Wan, Z. Dai, D. Ponge, D. Raabe, C. Zhang, A. Godfrey, G. Miyamoto, T. Furuhara, Z. Yang, S. van der Zwaag, H. Chen, Sci. Adv. 6 (2020) eaay1430.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. L. Liu, Q. Yu, Z. Wang, J. Ell, M.X. Huang, R.O. Ritchie, Science 368 (2020) 1347–1352.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Zhang, Y. Cui, X. Zuo, J. Wan, Y. Rong, N. Chen, J. Lu, Sci. Bull. 66 (2021) 1058–1062.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. J. Xu, F. Yan, X. Wan, Y. Li, Q. Zhu, Processes 11 (2023) 641.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Y. Wang, K. Zhang, Z. Guo, N. Chen, Y. Rong, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 552 (2012) 288–294.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. K. Zhang, M. Zhang, Z. Guo, N. Chen, Y. Rong, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 528 (2011) 8486–8491.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. X.C. Xiong, B. Chen, M.X. Huang, J.F. Wang, L. Wang, Scripta Mater. 68 (2013) 321–324.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. G. Liu, T. Li, Z. Yang, C. Zhang, J. Li, H. Chen, Acta Mater. 201 (2020) 266–277.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Q. Li, X. Huang, W. Huang, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 662 (2016) 129–135.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. R. Kuziak, R. Kawalla, S. Waengler, Arch. Civ. Mech. Eng. 8 (2008) 103–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. P. Jacques, Q. Furnémont, A. Mertens, F. Delannay, Philos. Mag. A 81 (2001) 1789–1812.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. K.I. Sugimoto, Mater. Sci. Technol. 25 (2009) 1108–1117.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. C. Song, H. Yu, L. Li, T. Zhou, J. Lu, X. Liu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 670 (2016) 326–334.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. X. Tan, H. He, W. Lu, L. Yang, B. Tang, J. Yan, Y. Xu, D. Wu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 771 (2020) 138629.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. X.X. Dong, Y.F. Shen, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 852 (2022) 143737.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. T. Liu, D. Zhang, Q. Liu, Y. Zheng, Y. Su, X. Zhao, J. Yin, M. Song, D. Ping, Sci. Rep. 5 (2015) 15331.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. D. Ping, T. Liu, M. Ohnuma, T. Ohmura, T. Abe, H. Onodera, ISIJ Int. 57 (2017) 1233–1240.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. D.H. Ping, M. Ohnuma, J. Mater. Sci. 53 (2018) 5339–5355.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. K. Zhai, K. Zhao, Y. Zhang, J. Yue, P. Zhu, S. Li, C. Wang, C. Cui, D. Ping, Cryst. Growth Des. 23 (2023) 539–547.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. S.K. Sikka, Y.K. Vohra, R. Chidambaram, Prog. Mater. Sci. 27 (1982) 245–310.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Y. Chen, D. Ping, Y. Wang, X. Zhao, J. Alloy. Compd. 767 (2018) 68–72.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. W. Zhang, Z. Liu, Z. Zhang, G. Wang, Mater. Lett. 91 (2013) 158–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. J. Li, H. Yang, P. Yang, Mater. Lett. 134 (2014) 180–183.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Q. Ye, G. Han, J. Xu, Z. Cao, L. Qiao, Y. Yan, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 831 (2022) 142244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. T. Bhattacharyya, S.B. Singh, S. Das, A. Haldar, D. Bhattacharjee, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 528 (2011) 2394–2400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. C.G. Lee, S.J. Kim, T.H. Lee, C.S. Oh, ISIJ Int. 44 (2004) 737–743.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. A. Dumay, J.P. Chateau, S. Allain, S. Migot, O. Bouaziz, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 483-484 (2008) 184–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Z. Dai, H. Chen, R. Ding, Q. Lu, C. Zhang, Z. Yang, S. van der Zwaag, Mater. Sci. Eng. 143 (2021) 100590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. J. Speer, D.K. Matlock, B.C. De Cooman, J.G. Schroth, Acta Mater. 51 (2003) 2611–2622.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. J.G. Speer, D.V. Edmonds, F.C. Rizzo, D.K. Matlock, Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci. 8 (2004) 219–237.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. M.M. Ahmmad, Y. Sumi, J. Mar. Sci. Technol. 15 (2010) 1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. A.K. De, D.C. Murdock, M.C. Mataya, J.G. Speer, D.K. Matlock, Scripta Mater. 50 (2004) 1445–1449.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. S. Kruijver, L. Zhao, J. Sietsma, E. Offerman, N. van Dijk, L. Margulies, E. Lauridsen, S. Grigull, H. Poulsen, S. van der Zwaag, Steel Res. 73 (2002) 236–241.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. M.J. Santofimia, L. Zhao, R. Petrov, C. Kwakernaak, W.G. Sloof, J. Sietsma, Acta Mater. 59 (2011) 6059–6068.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. R. Freitas, M. Asta, M. de Koning, Comput. Mater. Sci. 112 (2016) 333–341.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. B.J. Lee, Acta Mater. 54 (2006) 701–711.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. D.H. Ping, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 28 (2015) 663–670.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. J. Kobayashi, D. Ina, A. Futamura, K.I. Sugimoto, ISIJ Int. 54 (2014) 955–962.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. W.Y. Yang, L.F. Li, Y.Y. Yin, Z.Q. Sun, X.T. Wang, Mater. Sci. Forum 654-656 (2010) 250–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. J. Sun, H. Yu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 586 (2013) 100–107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Z.G. Jia, J. Hu, N. Xu, C. Liu, L.Y. Wang, C.C. Wang, W.H. Sun, W. Xu, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 52 (2021) 3140–3151.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. K. Kim, S.J. Lee, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 698 (2017) 183–190.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Y. Li, F. Zhang, C. Chen, B. Lv, Z. Yang, C. Zheng, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 651 (2016) 945–950.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. X. Wan, G. Liu, Z. Yang, H. Chen, Scripta Mater. 198 (2021) 113819.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. C. Huang, M. Zou, L. Qi, O.A. Ojo, Z. Wang, J. Mater. Res. Technol. 12 (2021) 1080–1090.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. S. Das, A. Haldar, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 45 (2014) 1844–1854.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. S.M. Hasan, A. Ghosh, D. Chakrabarti, S.B. Singh, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 51 (2020) 2053–2063.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. T. Zhang, J. Hu, C. Wang, Y. Wang, W. Zhang, H. Di, W. Xu, Mater. Charact. 178 (2021) 111247.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. J. Du, W.Z. Zhang, F.Z. Dai, Z.Z. Shi, J. Appl. Crystallogr. 49 (2016) 40–46.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. K.I. Sugimoto, M. Misu, M. Kobayashi, H. Shirasawa, ISIJ Int. 33 (1993) 775–782.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. T. Zhang, L. Wang, Y. Wang, J. Hu, H. Di, W. Xu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 852 (2022) 143677.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. B.V. Narasimha Rao, Metall. Trans. A 10 (1979) 645–648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. D. Ping, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 27 (2014) 1–11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. G. Gao, B. Gao, X. Gui, J. Hu, J. He, Z. Tan, B. Bai, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 753 (2019) 1–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. C.H. Young, H.K.D.H. Bhadeshia, Mater. Sci. Technol. 10 (1994) 209–214.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. P. Jacques, Acta Mater. 49 (2001) 139–152.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. S.M. Hasan, A. Mandal, S.B. Singh, D. Chakrabarti, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 751 (2019) 142–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. J. Zhang, H. Ding, R.D.K. Misra, C. Wang, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 611 (2014) 252–256.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Z. Tang, J. Huang, X. Lu, H. Ding, D. Zhang, D. Misra, Metals 8 (2018) 872.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. H.L. Yi, P. Chen, H.K.D.H. Bhadeshia, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 45 (2014) 3512–3518.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Z. Li, C.C. Tasan, K.G. Pradeep, D. Raabe, Acta Mater. 131 (2017) 323–335.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. T. Ogawa, M. Koyama, C.C. Tasan, K. Tsuzaki, H. Noguchi, J. Mater. Sci. 52 (2017) 7868–7882.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. H.X. Yin, A.M. Zhao, Z.Z. Zhao, X. Li, S.J. Li, H.J. Hu, W.G. Xia, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater. 22 (2015) 262–271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. S.C. van Bohemen, Mater. Sci. Technol. 28 (2012) 487–495.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  68. S.B. Zhou, F. Hu, W. Zhou, L. Cheng, C.Y. Hu, K.M. Wu, J. Mater. Res. Technol. 14 (2021) 1021–1034.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Y. Zhang, Y.T. Cheng, D.S. Grummon, J. Appl. Phys. 98 (2005) 033505.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  70. H.Y. Wang, C. Li, C. Zhao, T. Zeng, Z.M. Wang, Y. Huang, Acta Metall. Sin. 59 (2023) 679–692.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. S.Q. Wu, D.H. Ping, Y. Yamabe-Mitarai, W.L. Xiao, Y. Yang, Q.M. Hu, G.P. Li, R. Yang, Acta Mater. 62 (2014) 122–128.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFB0703904).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Advanced Metallic Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China

    Meng-wei Lu, Xin Chen, Wen-xi Liu, Yu-ru Chen, Qi Li, Kai Wang, Zu-min Wang & Yuan Huang

Authors
  1. Meng-wei Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xin Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wen-xi Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yu-ru Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Qi Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kai Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Zu-min Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Yuan Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuan Huang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lu, Mw., Chen, X., Liu, Wx. et al. Mechanisms of strength–plasticity enhancement and stress-induced phase transition in a medium-carbon low-alloy steel. J. Iron Steel Res. Int. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42243-023-01153-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42243-023-01153-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation