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The microstructure and fracture of a carburized steel

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Abstract

The case microstructure and fracture of a coarse-grained 8620 steel carburized to 1 pet surface carbon are quite sensitive to austenitizing conditions. Reheating martensitic speci-mens below theA cm produces in the case a refined austenitic grain size, a very fine mar-tensite, spherical carbide particles and a minimum of retained austenite and microcrack-ing. Overload fracture through the latter microstructure is transgranular and scanning electron microscopy shows both microvoid coalescence around thecarbide particles and an apparent fine cleavage in other areas. As-carburized specimens and specimens re-austenitized above theA cm developed a case microstructure characterized by a coarse austenitic grain structure in which plate martensite with microcracks developed on cool-ing within a large amount of retained austenite. The overload fracture through this mi-crostructure followed a predominately intergranular path and effectively by-passed the retained austenite and microcracked martensite. Auger electron analysis showed that C and P were present on the intergranular fracture surfaces at concentrations above bulk, an observation consistent with literature reports of P segregation during austenitizing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Colorado School of Mines, 80401, Golden, CO

    George Krauss (AMAX Foundation Professor of Physical Metallurgy)

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  1. George Krauss
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Additional information

This paper is based on a presentation made at a symposium on “Carburizing and Nitriding: Fundamentals, Processes and Properties” held at the Cincinnati Meeting of The Metallurgical Society of AIME, November 11 and 12, 1975 under the sponsorship of the Heat Treatment Committee.

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Krauss, G. The microstructure and fracture of a carburized steel. Metall Trans A 9, 1527–1535 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02661935

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