Abstract
Silicon (Si) is a versatile alloying element that can enhance the performance of high carbon steel by contributing to deoxidation, grain refinement, hardenability, strength, and toughness. The study investigates the influence of Si (0.8–3.6%) on the microstructural and magnetic properties of high carbon steel. The arrangement and density of magnetic moments, which are affected by the microstructure determines the saturation magnetisation of the material. Industrial-grade high carbon steel samples with varying silica were microstructurally tailored to obtain multi-phase steel microstructures. The optical and SEM analyses revealed a combination of cementite and plate martensite, wherein the martensitic structures became finer with higher Si content. The evolution of martensitic microstructures along with mild oxidation of Si inclusions in the grain boundaries of the surface were observed using Confocal microscopy. An increase in the cementite with an accompanied decrease in the martensitic fraction was determined by the quantitative analysis of the X-ray diffractograms. The saturation magnetisation (MS) of the samples witnessed a gradual decrease with increase in the Si content. Silicon’s role in high carbon steel is quite notable, therefore, the nature of heat treatment and level of Si addition can be adjusted to limit the formation of cementite and increase the ferritic martensite or austenite in the microstructure.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformation Research Hub funding scheme (Project IH190100009). The authors acknowledge the facilities and the scientific and technical assistance of Microscopy Australia at the Electron Microscope Unit (EMU) within the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (MWAC) at UNSW Sydney.
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Sarmadi, N., Pahlevani, F., Udayakumar, S., Biswal, S., Ulrich, C., Sahajwalla, V. (2024). Effect of Si on Microstructural and Magnetic Behaviour of Heat-Treated High Carbon Steel. In: Peng, Z., et al. Characterization of Minerals, Metals, and Materials 2024. TMS 2024. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50304-7_1
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