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Induction Tempering vs Conventional Tempering of a Heat-Treatable Steel

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Abstract

An induction heat treatment is favorable compared to a conventional one mainly due to significant time and cost savings. Therefore, in this study, the microstructure property relationships during induction and conventional heat treatment of a heat treatable steel 42CrMo4 is investigated. The yield strength and hardness is slightly higher for the conventionally heat-treated steel, whereas the induction heat-treated condition exhibits a roughly 30 J/cm2 higher impact energy. In a previous investigation of the authors, it has been proved that the difference in yield strength originates from the smaller block size of the conventionally heat-treated steel, which was already present after hardening. In the present work, it can be shown that during tempering the martensitic blocks become equi-axed ferrite grains due to recrystallization as revealed by electron back scatter diffraction. Nevertheless, a larger grain size usually is less favorable for the impact toughness of steels. Therefore, another mechanism is responsible for the higher impact energy of the induction hardened and tempered steel. With the aid of transmission electron microscopy a finer distribution of cementite was observed in the induction heat-treated samples. The delay of recovery is the reason for the presence of finer cementite in case of the induction heat-treated steel. Here, the higher heating rates and shorter process times reduce the annihilation of dislocation and as a consequence provide more nucleation sites for precipitation of cementite during tempering. From the obtained experimental results, it is believed that the finer distribution of carbides causes the observed higher impact toughness.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth and the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development is gratefully acknowledged. The authors want to thank Tomasz Wojcik for his help regarding the TEM investigations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Christian Doppler Laboratory Early Stages of Precipitation, Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700, Leoben, Austria

    Stephanie Sackl (PhD Student) & Sophie Primig (Scientist)

  2. Department of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Testing, Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700, Leoben, Austria

    Stephanie Sackl (PhD Student), Helmut Clemens (Professor) & Sophie Primig (Scientist)

  3. Stahl Judenburg GmbH, Gußstahlwerkstraße 21, 8750, Judenburg, Austria

    Michael Zuber

  4. School of Materials Science & Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Stephanie Sackl (PhD Student) & Sophie Primig (Scientist)

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  1. Stephanie Sackl
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  2. Michael Zuber
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  3. Helmut Clemens
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  4. Sophie Primig
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Correspondence to Stephanie Sackl.

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Manuscript submitted January 22, 2016.

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Sackl, S., Zuber, M., Clemens, H. et al. Induction Tempering vs Conventional Tempering of a Heat-Treatable Steel. Metall Mater Trans A 47, 3694–3702 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-016-3534-3

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