Kinetics of the partitioning of carbon and substitutional alloying elements during quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processing of medium Mn steel. (1st April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Seo, Eun Jung; Cho, Lawrence; De Cooman, Bruno C.
• Is Part Of: Acta materialia. Volume 107(2016)
• Page Start: 354
• Page End: 365
• Publication Date: 2016-04-01
• Subjects: Quenching and partitioning -- Mn partitioning -- Carbon partitioning -- Medium Mn steel -- Atom probe tomography; Materials -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Materials -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 620.112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.01.059
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6454

Abstract

Abstract: Quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processing of medium Mn steel is a new approach to produce formable ultra-high strength steel with a martensite + austenite microstructure. Carbon partitioning from martensite into austenite is essential for austenite stabilization during Q&P processing, and substitutional atom partitioning is usually considered not to occur. The present study provides a direct atomic-scale evidence for the partitioning of both interstitial carbon and substitutional Mn and Si, during the Q&P processing of medium Mn steel by means of 3-dimensional atom probe tomography. The experimental results were compared to results of a numerical simulation of the kinetics of carbon, Si and Mn partitioning during Q&P processing assuming an immobile martensite-austenite phase boundary. Both show that short range substitutional alloying element partitioning occurs during the partitioning stage in Q&P processing. Graphical abstract: