Effect of Destabilizing Heat Treatment on Solid-State Phase Transformation in High-Chromium Cast Irons

This work describes the influence of secondary carbide precipitation at destabilizing heat treatment on kinetics of austenite phase transformation at a subcritical range of temperatures in high-Cr cast irons, alloyed with 4 to 6 wt pct of Mn or by complex Mn-Ni-Mo (Mn-Cu-Mo). The samples were soaked at 1073 K to 1373 K (800 A degrees C to 1100 A degrees C) (destabilization) or at 573 K to 973 K (300 A degrees C to 700 A degrees C) (subcritical treatment); the combination of destabilization and subcritical treatment was also used. The investigation was carried out with application of optical and electron microscopy and bulk hardness measurement. Time-temperature-transformation (TTT) curves of secondary carbide precipitation and pearlite transformation for as-cast austenite and destabilized austenite were built in this work. It was determined that the secondary carbide precipitation significantly inhibited the pearlite transformation rate at 823 K to 973 K (550 A degrees C to 700 A degrees C). The inhibition effect is more evident in cast irons alloyed with complex Mn-Ni-Mo or Mn-Cu-Mo. The possible reasons for transformation decelerating could be austenite chemical composition change (enriching by Ni, Si, and Cu, and depleting by Cr) and stresses induced by secondary carbide precipitation. (C) The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2013