Abstract
While tempering reactions under furnace conditions have been extensively studied, short-time tempering at higher temperatures, as might apply to induction tempering, has not been thoroughly explored. The mechanical behavior and phase development of short-time (1, 10, and 100 seconds) and conventionally (3600 seconds) tempered 4340 steel are compared at an equivalent degree of tempering defined by the Hollomon–Jaffe tempering parameter. The tempering parameter accurately predicts hardness values across short-time and conventional tempering conditions, but is less able to describe phase evolution associated with short-time tempering. Room temperature Charpy impact toughness and ductile-to-brittle transition temperature systematically improve with shorter tempering times at an equivalent tempering parameter. In particular, rapid tempering significantly increases toughness within the tempered martensite embrittlement regime. Relative to conventional tempering, shorter tempering times exhibit higher retained austenite content for a given tempering parameter, although no systematic or significant difference in cementite or transition carbide content is observed between time conditions. The retained austenite decomposition behavior indicates that the relationship between the classical tempering stages is altered at short tempering times, where increased overlap and/or “re-ordering” of stage II and III tempering are observed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
V.H.B. Hernandez, S.S. Nayak, and Y. Zhou: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2011, vol. 42, pp. 3115–29.
SS Nayak, VHB Hernandez, Y Zhou: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2011, vol. 42, pp. 3242–48.
M. Xia, E. Biro, Z.L. Tian, and Y.N. Zhou: ISIJ International, 2008, vol. 48, pp. 809–14.
V.K. Judge, J.G. Speer, K.D. Clarke, K.O. Findley, and A.J. Clarke: Scientific Reports, 2018, vol. 8, pp. 1–6.
T. Furuhara, K. Kobayashi, and T. Maki: ISIJ International, 2004, vol. 44, pp. 1937–44.
A Nagao, K Hayashi, K Oi, S Mitao, N Shikanai: Mater. Sci. Forum, 2007, 539, 4720–25.
C. Revilla, B. López, and J.M. Rodriguez-Ibabe: Materials & Design, 2014, vol. 62, pp. 296–304.
S. Sackl, M. Zuber, H. Clemens, and S. Primig: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2016, vol. 47, pp. 3694–702.
D.C. Saha, S.S. Nayak, E. Biro, A.P. Gerlich, and Y. Zhou: Metall. Mater. Trans. A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, 2014, vol. 45, pp. 6153–62.
K. Kawasaki, T. Chiba, and T. Yamazaki: J. Iron Steel Inst. Jpn., 1988, pp. 342–49.
A. Nakashima and J.F. Libsch: Transactions of the ASM, 1961, vol. 53, pp. 753–64.
B.V.N. Rao and G. Thomas: in 4th International Conference on Fracture, Waterloo, Canada, 1977, pp. 1–12.
J.P. Materkowski and G. Krauss: Metallurgical Transactions A, 1979, vol. 10, pp. 1643–51.
J.E. King, R.F. Smith, and J.F. Knott: in 4th International Conference on Fracture, Waterloo, Canada, 1977, pp. 279–86.
H.K.D.H. Bhadeshia and D.V. Edmonds: Met. Sci., 1979, 13 pp. 325–34.
F.A. Darwish, L.C. Pereira, C. Gatts, and M.L. Graça: Materials Science and Engineering A, 1991, 132, 5-9.
H. Kwon and C.H. Kim: Metallurgical Transactions A, 1983, vol. 14, pp. 1389–94.
G. Thomas: Metallurgical Transactions A, 1978, vol. 9A, pp. 439–50.
R.M. Horn and R.O. Ritchie: Metallurgical Transactions A, 1978, vol. 9, pp. 1039–53.
M. Sarikaya, A.K. Jhingan, and G. Thomas: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 1983, vol. 14, pp. 1121–33.
G. Dieter: Mechanical Metallurgy, 3rd edn., McGraw-Hill, New York, 1986.
G. Hahn: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions, 1984, vol. 15A, pp. 947–59.
K. Kawasaki, T. Chiba, and T. Yamazaki: J. Iron Steel Inst. Jpn., 1988, pp. 334–41.
J.H. Hollomon and L.D. Jaffe: Transactions AIME, 1945, vol. 162, pp. 223–49.
S. Murphy and J.H. Woodhead: Metallurgical Transactions, 1972, vol. 3, pp. 727–35.
S.L. Semiatin, D.E. Stutz, and T.G. Byrer: Journal of Heat Treating, 1985, vol. 4, pp. 39–46.
V.K. Judge: Colorado School of Mines, 2017.
V.K. Judge, J.G. Speer, K.D. Clarke, K.O. Findley, and A.J. Clarke: in Thermal Processing in Motion: Including the 4th International Conference on Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering in Automotive Applications, ASM International, Spartanburg, South Carolina, 2018.
ASTM International: Standard Methods for Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials E23, vol. 552, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 1982.
ASTM International: Standard Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials E8/E8M, ASTM International, West Conshohocken. PA, 2012.
D.T. Pierce, D.R. Coughlin, D.L. Williamson, K.D. Clarke, A.J. Clarke, J.G. Speer, and E. De Moor: Acta Materialia, 2015, vol. 90, pp. 417–30.
X.W. Liu, Z. Cao, S. Zhao, R. Gao, Y. Meng, J.X. Zhu, C. Rogers, C.F. Huo, Y. Yang, Y.W. Li, and X.D. Wen: Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2017, vol. 121, pp. 21390–6.
A.J. Clarke, M.K. Miller, R.D. Field, D.R. Coughlin, P.J. Gibbs, K.D. Clarke, D.J. Alexander, K.A. Powers, P.A. Papin, and G. Krauss: Acta Materialia, 2014, vol. 77, pp. 17–27.
A.J. Clarke, D.R. Coughlin, M.K. Miller, R.D. Field, K.D. Clarke, K.A. Powers, P.J. Gibbs, P.A. Papin, V.K. Judge, D.T. Pierce, D.J. Alexander, E. De Moor, J.G. Speer, and G. Krauss: in PTM 2015—Proceedings of the International Conference on Solid-Solid Phase Transformations in Inorganic Materials 2015, TMS, Warrendale, PA, 2015, pp. 1107–14.
D.T. Pierce, D.R. Coughlin, D.L. Williamson, J. Kähkönen, A.J. Clarke, K.D. Clarke, J.G. Speer, and E. De Moor: Scripta Materialia, 2016, vol. 121, pp. 5–9.
I. Vieira, J. Klemm-Toole, E. Buchner, D.L. Williamson, K.O. Findley, and E. De Moor: Scientific Reports, 2017, vol. 7, pp. 1–14.
G. Krauss: Steels: Processing, Structure, and Performance, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2005.
G.R. Speich: in Metals Handbook, 8th edn., ASM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 1973, pp. 202–4.
G.R. Speich and K.A. Taylor: Martensite, ASM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 1992, pp. 243–75.
G.A. Thomas, J.G. Speer, D.K. Matlock, G. Krauss, and R.E. Hackenberg: in Proceedings of the International Conference on Martensitic Transformations, G.B. Olson, D.S. Lieberman, and A. Saxena, eds., TMS, 2009, pp. 595–600.
M. Van Rooyen and J. Mittemeijer: Scripta Metallurgica, 1982, vol. 16, pp. 1255–60.
I. Tkalcec, C. Azco, S. Crevoiserat, and D. Mari: Materials Science & Engineering A, 2004, vol. 389, pp. 352–6.
L. Cheng, C.M. Brakman, B.M. Korevaar, and E.J. Mittemeijer: Metallurgical Transactions A, 1988, vol. 19A, pp. 2415–26.
E.J. Mittemeijer, L. Cheng, P.J. Van Der Schaaf, C.M. Brakman, and B.M. Korevaar: Metallurgical Transactions A, 1988, vol. 19A, pp. 923–32.
H. Nakagawa and T. Miyazaki: Journal of Materials Science, 1999, vol. 34, pp. 3901–8.
M. Wiessner, E. Gamsjäger, S. van der Zwaag, and P. Angerer: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2017, vol. 682, pp. 117–25.
H. Qiu, L.N. Wang, H. Zuo, G. Arakane, and K. Hiraoka: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2013, vol. 565, pp. 102–11.
S. Wu, D. Wang, X. Di, Z. Zhang, Z. Feng, X. Liu, Y. Li, and X. Meng: Journal of Materials Science, 2018, vol. 53, pp. 3720–34.
Y.Y. Song, D.H. Ping, F.X. Yin, X.Y. Li, and Y.Y. Li: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2010, vol. 527, pp. 614–8.
X.P. Ma, L.J. Wang, C.M. Liu, and S. V. Subramanian: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2012, vol. 539, pp. 271–9.
Acknowledgments
The financial support of the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC) at the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA is gratefully acknowledged. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is thanked for supplying material and Mr. Jeffrey Scott (LANL) for the use of heat-treating capabilities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Manuscript submitted December 10, 2018.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Euser, V.K., Williamson, D.L., Clarke, K.D. et al. Effects of Short-Time Tempering on Impact Toughness, Strength, and Phase Evolution of 4340 Steel Within the Tempered Martensite Embrittlement Regime. Metall Mater Trans A 50, 3654–3662 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-019-05271-4
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-019-05271-4