In-depth analysis of intragranular acicular ferrite three-dimensional morphology. (August 2020) - Wu, Shaowen
Abstract: Precipitation of intragranular acicular ferrite (IAF) is the principle means for increasing the strength of steel. This study investigated the three-dimensional morphology and growth behavior of IAF. Focused ion beam, confocal laser scanning microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction revealed that IAF had a plate-like morphology with numerous pits and defects when precipitated at 750 °C for 1 min and was needle-like with a smooth surface when precipitated at 700 °C for 1 min. Furthermore, sub-grains were observed within the IAF. This study elucidates more on the theoretical data of the IAF 3D morphology and provides novel insights into IAF. Graph abstract: Image, graphical abstract