• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.89-94
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• 2017

The microstructure and dilatation for 0.15C steels were investigated to define the phase transformation during the quenching and partitioning (Q&P) process. For the one step Q&P dilatation, the isothermal martensite/bainite transformation occurred because the holding temperature was between $M_s$ and $M_f$. The isothermally transformed martensite/bainite and the athermally transformed martensite were produced by a loss of retained austenite. As the holding time increased, new martensite-start ($M_s$) temperature produced from the final quenching process decreased due to the carbon partitioning from the martensite to the retained austenite. This was the direct evidence of increment for the retained austenite stability. For the two step Q&P dilatation, the isothermal bainitic transformation occurred because the partitioning temperature was larger than the $M_s$ and new $M_s$. The partitioning at $400^{\circ}C$ indicated the short incubation period for the bainite transformation than the $350^{\circ}C$ partitioning because the partitioning at $400^{\circ}C$ should acquire the larger thermal driving force for carbon partitioning than the $350^{\circ}C$ partitioning. A quick drop of $M_s$ and short period of bainite incubation for the $400^{\circ}C$ partitioning steel were also the direct evidence of significant effects of carbon partitioning on the stability of retained austenite.

• 한국주조공학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.340-348
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• 1998

C/V graphite iron has superior tensile strength, toughness and ductility than grey iron, and better castability than ductile iron. The retained austenite content of C/V graphite iron by austempering treatment affects on the mechanical properties such as ductility, hardness, wear properties and machinability. C/V graphite iron alloyed with Cu and Mo were carried out on the austenitizing at $900^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, and the austempering at $240{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr. And then the mechanical and wear properties of austempered C/V graphite iron have been investigated by the retained austenite content. In consequence, the retained austenite content was found to be 18.2% in austempering temperature at $240^{\circ}C$, and was increased 39.2% at $400^{\circ}C$. Tensile strength and hardness of austempered C/V graphite iron were decreased as the retained austenite content increased, but elongation was increased. The rolling wear loss were increased as the retained austenite content increased. The wear surface of as-cast became to be rough. The microstructure of austempered C/V graphite iron was became to be acicular ausferrite in austempering at $240^{\circ}C$, and feathery ausferrite at $400^{\circ}C$.

• 열처리공학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.295-304
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• 1998

The effects of retained austenite and carbon content in the retained austenite on the tensile strength-elongation balance and spot weldability of TRIP high strength steel sheet have been investigated. The retained austenite of granular type increased with increasing intercritical annealing and austempering temperature, and film type was increased with the increase of austempering time. The volume fraction of retained austenite increased with decreasing intereritical annealing temperature, and the maximum value was obtained at austempering temperature of $400^{\circ}C$. The values of tensile strength-elongation balance increased with decreasing intercritical annealing temperature and maximum value was obtained at austempering temperature of $400^{\circ}C$. The maximum value of tensile strength-elongation balance was obtained at a retained austenite content of about 12%. Tensile shear strength of the specimens with retained austenite was higher than that of the normalizing specimens. With increasing welding current and time, the tensile shear strengh and nugget diameter increased, while nugget thickness showed the peak value and then decreased. The optimum range of welding condition at the given welding pressure of 350kgf was 7~11kA and 10~15 cycles.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.126-132
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• 2004

The high strength steel sheets has been widely used as the automobile parts to reduce the weight of a vehicle. The aim of this research is to develop the TRIP aided high strength low carbon steels using reverse transformation process. The 0.15C-4Mn and 0.15C-6.5Mn steel sheets were reversely transformed by slow heating to intercritical temperature region and air cooling to room temperature. The stability of retained austenite depends on the enrichment of carbon and manganese by diffusion during the reverse transformation. The amount of retained austenite formed after reversely transformed at $645^{\circ}C$ for 12 hrs. was about 46vol.% in hot rolled 0.lC-6.5Mn steel. The change in volume fraction of retained austenite with a holding temperature was consistent with the changes in elongation and the strength-ductility combination. The tendency of tensile strength to increase with increasing the holding temperature was due to the decrease of retained austenite after cooling from the higher temperature of $670 ^{\circ}C$. The maximum strength-ductility combination was about 4,250 kg/$\textrm{mm}^2$ㆍ% when the hot rolled 0.lC-6.5Mn steel was reversely transformed at $645^{\circ}C$ for 12 hrs.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제52권
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• pp.14.1-14.10
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• 2022

An electron probe X-ray microanalyzer (EPMA) is an essential tool for studying chemical composition distribution in the microstructure. Quantifying chemical composition using standard specimens is commonly used to determine the composition of individual phases. However, the local difference in chemical composition in the standard specimens brings the deviation of the quantified composition from the actual one. This study introduces how to overcome the error of quantification in EPMA in the practical aspect. The obtained results are applied to evaluate the chemical com position of retained austenite in multi-phase steel. Film-type austenite shows higher carbon content than blocky-type one. The measured carbon contents of the retained austenite show good coherency with the calculated value from the X-ray diffraction.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.87-92
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• 2020

This study deals with the effects of austempering time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-high strength nanostructured bainitic steels with high carbon and silicon contents. The steels are composed of bainite, martensite and retained austenite by austempering and quenching. As the duration of austempering increases, the thickness of bainitic ferrite increases, but the thickness of retained austenite decreases. Some retained austenites with lower stability are more easily transformed to martensite during tensile testing, which has a detrimental effect on the elongation due to the brittleness of transformed martensite. With increasing austempering time, the hardness decreased and then remained stable because the transformation to nanostructured bainite compensates for the decrease in the volume fraction of martensite. Charpy impact test results indicated that increasing austempering time improved the impact toughness because the formation of brittle martensite was prevented by the decreased fraction and increased stability of retained austenite.

• 한국주조공학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.138-143
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• 2012

This steel has been synthesized integrating concepts from Austempering Ductile Cast Iron (ADI) technology. While ADI has excellent mechanical and physical properties, the Young's modules of ADI is approximately 20% lower than steel. In addition, the presence of graphite nodules in ADI can be sites of crack initiation, where fracture takes place at graphite matrix interface. Because of this limitations of ADI, there has been a growing interest in austempered steels as structural materials in resent years. In this investigation, a new steel with microstructure composed of ferrite and austenite and with simultaneous high tensile strength (1,150 MPa) and high ductility (33%) was developed. The goal of this investigation is to obtain a better understanding of deformation and transformation behaviour in high carbon retained austenite(${\gamma}_{HC}$) and over-saturated ferrite(${\alpha}$) during the plastic deformation. A detailed study of the microstructure of this steel was carried out by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD) technic. In this way it was shown that BCC phase (BCC) took up the larger part of the nominal strain whereas the a part of retained austenite responded to the mechanincal load by partial martensite transformation, and misorientation change in the retained austenite after plastic strain could be attributed to the large elongation.

• 한국분말야금학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국분말야금학회 2006년도 Extended Abstracts of 2006 POWDER METALLURGY World Congress Part 1
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• pp.407-408
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• 2006

Dimensional precision is a critical parameter in net shape processing of ferrous PM components. Sinter-hardening alloys undergo a transformation from austenite to martensite. Martensite formation expands the sintered compact, while tempering hardened steels results in shrinkage. In addition, martensitic regions with high Cu and C contents may contain large amounts of retained austenite. The presence of martensite and retained austenite, in addition to the tempering step, all play a role in the final dimensions of a component. This paper investigates the dimensional and microstructural changes to two sinter-hardening grades through different post-sintering thermal treatments.

• 열처리공학회지
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.205-212
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• 1995

Effect of Mn addition on rolling contact fatigue of C-base induction hardened bearing steels has been investigated to develop inexpensive surface-hardened bearing steels with improved resistance to rolling contact fatigue. Fatigue tests were conducted in elasto-hydrodynamic lubricating conditions at a shaft speed of 5,000rpm, under max. Hertzian stress of $492kg/mm^2$. It was found in the C-Mn steels that effective depth of induction hardened layer and amount of retained austenite were slightly increased in comparison with those of C-base steels. finer interlamellar spacing of pearlite in the C-Mn steels was also observed using TEM. Decomposition of retained austenite during rolling contact fatigue was smaller in quantity in the C-Mn steels than C-base steels. This might be associated with enhanced mechanical stability of retained austenite with addition of Mn. Statistical analysis of fatigue life for C-Mn steels using Weibull distribution indicated that improved resistance to rolling contact fatigue was mainly attributed to transformation induced plasticity and mechanical stability of retained austenite.

• 열처리공학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.127-133
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• 2003

The effect of chemical composition on the microstructural change and tensile property in TRIP-assisted steels with different chemical composition was investigated by using SEM, TEM, XRD and UTM. As a result of microscopic observation, the morphology of retained austenite could be identified as two types; a granular type in a steel containing higher Si and a film type in a steel having higher C. For the case of higher C-containing steel with a tensile strength of 860 MPa and a total elongation of 38%, film-typed retained austenite could be observed between lath bainitic ferrite. Actually, metastable retained austenite was a requisite for the good formability, which means that chemical composition plays a significant role in the microstructure and tensile property of TRIP-assisted steels. With respect to tensile property, the steels containing suitable Si and Mn, respectively, showed a typical TRIP effect in stress-strain curve, while a steel containing higher Mn content exhibited the similar behavior shown in dual phase steel.