Multi-aspect characterization of low-temperature tempering behaviors in high-carbon martensite

Zhang, Y.*; 丸澤 賢人*; 工藤 航平*; 諸岡 聡; 宮本 吾郎*; 古原 忠*

no journal, , 

As-quenched martensite in carbon steels needs to be tempered to restore its ductility and toughness for practical applications. During tempering, a series of reactions relevant to carbon diffusion are known to occur sequentially, causing changes in microstructure in tempered martensite. In this study, multi-aspect characterization using various advanced characterization techniques were performed, with an aim to clarify the low-temperature tempering behaviors of high-carbon martensitic steels. An Fe-0.8 mass% binary alloy was mainly used in this study, and 4 ternary alloys with further 2 at% addition of Mn, Si, Cr or Al, were also investigated for comparison. All the alloys were water quenched after austenitization to obtain the as-quenched martensite as the starting microstructure. Tempering processes were performed either by continuous heating or isothermal holding under various conditions. Afterwards, the changes in physical properties of tempered martensite were analyzed via calorimetry, dilatometry, and resistometry, whereas the microstructural evolutions were characterized via transmission electron microscopy, in-situ neutron diffraction, and three-dimensional atom probe tomography. The experimental results revealed the continuous occurrence of different tempering stages, including carbon clustering, precipitation of metastable iron carbide, decomposition of retained austenite, and precipitation of cementite. In addition, the tetragonality of martensite became continuously lowered due to the reduction in solute carbon content by tempering. Among all the investigated elements, the addition of Al was found to have the largest retardation effects on the tempering kinetics, which was caused by its suppression effect on carbon diffusivity.