Effect of cryogenic trteatment on the tensile properties of carbon dual phase steel

الملخص EN

The aim of this study was to evaluate tensile properties of low and medium carbon ferrite -martensite dual phase steel, and the effect cryogenic treatment at liquid nitrogen temperature (-196 ºC) on its properties.

Low carbon steel (C12D) and medium carbon steels (C32D & C42D) were used in this work.

For each steel grade, five groups of specimens were prepared according to the type of heat treatment.

The first group was normalized, the second group was normalized and subsequently subjected to cryogenic treatment then tempered at (200 ºC) for one hour, the third group was quenched from intercritical annealing temperature of (760 ºC) to obtain dual phase (DP) steel, the fourth and fifth groups were both quenched from (760 ºC), but the forth group was subjected to cryogenic treatment and the fifth group was subjected to cryogenic then tempered at (200 ºC) for one hour.

Mechanical tests were carried out which includes, tensile, hardness, as well as microscopic examination.

Yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and ductility for DP were correlated to martensite volume fraction.

The yield and tensile strength (σy, σu) of (DP) for the three steels, were higher than those of normalized condition, and increased after cryogenic treatment.

These values, for the three steel grades, decreased after tempering at temperature 200 ºC.

Tempering of (DP) steel at 200ºC for one hour, after cryogenic treatment, causes the reappearance of yielding point for steels (C12D) and (C32D) while no such a change noticed in (C42D) steel.

The results have shown that hardness of (DP) increased after cryogenic treatment for the three steel grades.