Effect of fine-grained microstructure induced by induction-heating fine particle peening treatment on fatigue properties of structural steel (0.45%C)

To improve the fatigue properties of structural steel, a novel surface modification process which combines high-frequency induction heating (IH) with fine particle peening (FPP) was developed. IH-FPP treatment was performed on the surface of structural steel specimens (0.45%C) at temperatures from 600 to 750 degrees C, with peening times of 60 and 120 s. To determine the characteristics of the treated surfaces, the microstructure was observed using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Vickers hardness and residual stress distributions were also measured. The characteristics of fine-grained microstructures were examined by electron backscatter diffraction. Furthermore, in order to investigate the effect of the grain refinement achieved by IH-FPP treatment, rotational bending fatigue tests were performed on treated specimens. Results showed that IH-FPP treatment created fine-grained microstructures beneath the surfaces of steel samples. The average ferrite grain size was 4.06 mu m for a treatment temperature of 700 degrees C, and finally 0.76 mu m for 600 degrees C. This was due to dynamic recrystallization in the processed region. IH-FPP treated specimens exhibited a higher fatigue strength than untreated specimens. As almost no compressive residual stress was measured in the treated or untreated specimens, the increase in fatigue strength resulting from IH-FPP treatment was due solely to grain refinement.