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Quenching and Partitioning of Plate Steels: Partitioning Design Methodology

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Abstract

Quenching and partitioning (Q&P), a new heat treatment concept to develop high-strength martensitic microstructures with retained austenite (RA), has been implemented industrially to make sheet products. This process is also of interest for thicker plate products, to employ transformation-induced plasticity to enhance toughness and/or wear resistance. The applicability of the Q&P process to plate steel is explored considering through-thickness thermal profiles and associated microstructural gradients. Design methodologies are developed for both the quenching and the partitioning steps of plate processing, coupling thermal models with microstructural design concepts. The design methodologies are experimentally validated using a 0.4 wt pct C 300 M alloy through dilatometry simulations of plate Q&P processing, according to numerically simulated profiles. Q&P microstructures were successfully obtained through the thickness of a simulated 18-mm plate, and attractive RA fractions were achieved.

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Acknowledgments

The sponsors of the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center at Colorado School of Mines are gratefully acknowledged. Dr. E.B. Damm and Timken Steel are gratefully acknowledged for providing the experimental steel. Ana Araujo and AK Steel are gratefully acknowledged for contributions to the characterization portion of this work, including XRD and SEM.

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

    R. A. Stewart, J. G. Speer, B. G. Thomas, E. De Moor & A. J. Clarke

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Manuscript submitted December 23, 2018.

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Stewart, R.A., Speer, J.G., Thomas, B.G. et al. Quenching and Partitioning of Plate Steels: Partitioning Design Methodology. Metall Mater Trans A 50, 4701–4713 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-019-05337-3

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