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Effect of Retained Austenite on the Fracture Toughness of Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P)-Treated Sheet Steels

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Abstract

Fracture toughness K IC was measured by double edge-notched tension (DENT) specimens with fatigue precracks on quenching and partitioning (Q&P)-treated high-strength (ultimate tensile strength [UTS] superior to 1200 MPa) sheet steels consisting of 4 to 10 vol pct of retained austenite. Crack extension force, G IC, evaluated from the measured K IC, is used to analyze the role of retained austenite in different fracture behavior. Meanwhile, G IC is deduced by a constructed model based on energy absorption by martensite transformation (MT) behavior of retained austenite in Q&P-treated steels. The tendency of the change of two results is in good agreement. The Q&P-treated steel, quenched at 573 K (300 °C), then partitioned at 573 K (300 °C), holding for 60 seconds, has a fracture toughness of 74.1 MPa·m1/2, which is 32 pct higher than quenching and tempering steel (55.9 MPa·m1/2), and 16 pct higher than quenching and austempering (QAT) steel (63.8 MPa·m1/2). MT is found to occur preferentially at the tips of extension cracks on less stable retained austenite, which further improves the toughness of Q&P steels; on the contrary, the MT that occurs at more stable retained austenite has a detrimental effect on toughness.

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Acknowledgments

This study is funded by National Science Foundation of China (No. 51174251) and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Programs No. 2010CB630803). The authors would like to acknowledge Professor David Embury, University of McMaster, for a helpful discussion. The authors acknowledge Professor Nengyun Jin, Shanghai Jiaotong University for language polishing work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Advanced Steels 0and Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P.R. China

    Riming Wu (Ph.D. Student), Wei Li (Lecturer) & Xuejun Jin (Professor)

  2. Baosteel Research and Development Technology Center, Shanghai, 201900, P.R. China

    Shu Zhou (Engineer), Yong Zhong (Senior Engineer) & Li Wang (Prefessorate Senior Engineer)

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  1. Riming Wu
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Correspondence to Xuejun Jin.

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Manuscript submitted August 7, 2013.

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Wu, R., Li, W., Zhou, S. et al. Effect of Retained Austenite on the Fracture Toughness of Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P)-Treated Sheet Steels. Metall Mater Trans A 45, 1892–1902 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2113-0

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