SCr420H steel which is commonly utilized for automotive components requires the carburizing heat treatment process. Abnormal grain growth during this treatment significantly affects the mechanical properties of the steel parts. Consequently, a process designed to prevent abnormal grain growth at certain elevated temperatures is essential. For enhanced grain refinement, we considered the addition of Nb in SCr420H steel. The experimental condition of the carburizing heat treatment involved reheating the steel sample to temperatures between 940℃ and 1080℃. Using scanning electron microscopy, we examined the microstructure of specimens treated with the secondary solution, revealing an organization of bainite and ferrite. Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to determine the type, shape, and size of the carbonitrides, showing a high fraction of AlN at the secondary solution treatment temperature of approximately 1050℃ and of (Nb,Ti)(C,N) around 1200℃. AlN particles measured about 100 nm and (Nb,Ti)(C,N) about 50 nm. Optical microscopy was utilized to assess grain size variations at different secondary solution treatment temperatures. It is noted that the temperature at which abnormal grain coarsening occurred rose with increasing secondary solution treatment temperatures, indicating a greater influence of (Nb,Ti)(C,N) with higher heat treatment temperatures. This research provides reference data for preventing abnormal grain growth in Nb-added low alloy steels undergoing carburizing heat treatment.

SCR420H steel is a low-carbon chromium alloy steel designed for carburizing heat treatment. Recently, research is being conducted on high-temperature carburization heat treatment to reduce costs and CO₂ emissions by shortening the carburization time to meet the international carbon neutral policy. However, this high-temperature carburization heat treatment coarsens the steel grains and causes a decrease in mechanical properties. In this study, a large amount of Ti was added to increase the grain refinement effect in the high-temperature carburizing process. We investigated the microstructure and precipitates of SCR420H steel without Ti (Al steel) and with Ti (AlTi steel). Thermodynamic calculations showed that the AlN and (Ti,Nb)(C,N) precipitated in Al steel, while (Ti,Nb)(C,N) and Ti₄C₂S₂ precipitated in AlTi steel. Addition of Ti increases the fraction of bainite after reheating process. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that small amounts of AlN and (Ti,Nb)(C,N) precipitates are formed in the Al steel. The addition of Ti increases the density of (Ti,Nb)(C,N) precipitates and induces the formation of Ti₄C₂S₂ precipitates, increasing the grain coarsening temperature (GCT) under all heat treatment conditions. Higher reheating temperatures also resulted in higher GCT values due to increased precipitation.

In this study, the effect of addition of Ti and Co elements on microstructural evolution and characteristics of vacuum-casted Cu-25%Cr electrical contact material was investigated. The coarse and insoluble Cr phases with an average size of 300 ㎛ in commercial Cu-25%Cr alloy were reduced to tens of micrometers in vacuum casted Cu-25%Cr-X(X=Ti, Co) alloy, which can be interpreted as result controlling coarsening and the work-frame structure of the insoluble Cr phase by the formation of intermetallic compounds such as Cr₂Ti or Cr_0.5Co_1.5Ti around the Cr phase As a result, the electrical properties such as weight loss and fusion resistance against the repeated arc generation of the electrical contact material as well as the mechanical properties were greatly improved.

To improve and control the mechanical properties of low alloy steel, the influence of quenching and tempering process conditions was investigated. In the case of quenching heat treatment, a comparison was made between the conventional method of heating to the austenite region followed by single quenching and a method involving double quenching, followed by high-temperature tempering. It was observed that specimens subjected to double quenching exhibited significantly finer tempered microstructures compared to those subjected to conventional quenching, resulting in noticeably higher hardness. Additionally, a study was conducted to investigate the variation in hardness with changes in tempering temperature and time after the same conventional quenching treatment. As expected, an increase in tempering temperature or time led to a decrease in hardness, and the correlation between hardness and the Hollomon-Jeffe Parameter was confirmed. It was also observed that during high-temperature tempering, the size of carbides significantly increased.