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Effect of austempering time on microstructure and properties of a low-carbon bainite steel

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Abstract

The effect of austempering time after the bainitic transformation on the microstructure and property in a low-carbon bainite steel was investigated by metallography and dilatometry. The results showed that by prolonging the austempering time after the bainite transformation, the amount of large-size martensite/austenite islands decreased, but no significant change of the amount and morphology of bainite were observed. In addition, more austenite with a high carbon content was retained by prolonging the holding time at the bainite transformation temperature. Moreover, with a longer holding time, the elongation was improved at the expense of a small decrease in tensile strength. Finally, the Avrami equation BRF = 1− exp(−0.0499 × t0.7616) for bainite reaction at 350°C was obtained for the tested steel. The work provided a reference for tailoring the properties of low-carbon steels.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Nos. 51874216 and 51704217) and the Major Projects of Technology Innovation of Hubei Province, China (No. 2017AAA116).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, China

    Man Liu, Guang Xu, Jun-yu Tian, Qing Yuan & Xin Chen

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  1. Man Liu
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  2. Guang Xu
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  5. Xin Chen
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Correspondence to Guang Xu.

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Liu, M., Xu, G., Tian, Jy. et al. Effect of austempering time on microstructure and properties of a low-carbon bainite steel. Int J Miner Metall Mater 27, 340–346 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1881-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1881-y

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