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A new interpretation of temper embrittlement dynamics by non-equilibrium segregation of phosphor in steels

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Abstract

A new interpretation of temper embrittlement dynamics is proposed, which is based on the diffusion of phosphor atoms to grain boundaries by the complex of phosphor atom-vacancy. The dynamics of temper embrittlement in a medium-carbon Cr steel during 538°C tempering was carefully examined. The results show that the dependence of 50% fracture appearance transition temperature (FATT) on tempering time has a maximum, which can be satisfactorily elucidated by diffusion of the complex of phosphor atom-vacancy. However, the dependence of hardness on tempering duration decreases all the time. The fracture morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the variation of intergranular fracture ratio also has a maximum during tempering treatment at 538°C, which is at the near same time as the one in the dynamic of temper embrittlement. The concentration of phosphor on grain boundary was measured by Auger electron microscopy (AES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Physics, University of Science & Technology Beijing, XueYuan Lu, NO. 30, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic China;

    Zhang Zaoli & Yu Zongsen

  2. Beijing Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Beijing, P.O.Box 2724, 100080, People's Republic of China

    Zhang Zaoli

  3. Department of Superalloy, Central Iron & Steel Research Institute, XueYuan Nanlu, No. 76, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic China

    Xu Tingdong & Lin Qingying

Authors
  1. Zhang Zaoli
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  2. Xu Tingdong
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  3. Lin Qingying
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  4. Yu Zongsen
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Correspondence to Zhang Zaoli.

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Zaoli, Z., Tingdong, X., Qingying, L. et al. A new interpretation of temper embrittlement dynamics by non-equilibrium segregation of phosphor in steels. Journal of Materials Science 36, 2055–2059 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017543201741

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