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Carbon Redistribution and Carbide Precipitation in a High-Strength Low-Carbon HSLA-115 Steel Studied on a Nanoscale by Atom Probe Tomography

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Abstract

HSLA-115 is a newly developed Cu-bearing high-strength low-carbon martensitic steel for use in Naval structural applications. This research provides, for the first time, a comprehensive compositional analysis of carbon redistribution and associated complex phase transformations in an isothermal aging study of HSLA-115 at 823 K (550 °C). Specifically, we characterize carbon segregation at lath boundaries, grain-refining niobium carbonitrides, cementite, and secondary hardening M2C carbides, in addition to copper precipitation, by 3D atom probe tomography (APT). Segregation of carbon (3 to 6 at. pct C) is observed at martensitic lath boundaries in the as-quenched and 0.12-hour aged microstructures. On further aging, carbon redistributes itself forming cementite and M2C carbides. Niobium carbonitride precipitates do not dissolve during the austenitizing treatment and are inherited in the as-quenched and aged microstructures; these are characterized along with cementite by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and APT. Sub-nanometer-sized M2C carbide precipitates are observed after the formation of Cu precipitates, co-located with the latter, indicating heterogeneous nucleation of M2C. The temporal evolution of the composition and morphology of M2C carbides at 823 K (550 °C) is described using APT; their precipitation kinetics is intertwined with Cu precipitates, affecting the bulk mechanical properties of HSLA-115. Phase compositions determined by APT are compared with computed compositions at thermodynamic equilibrium using ThermoCalc.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided for this research by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), through Grant Numbers N000141210475 and N000141210425, and useful discussions with the program manager, Dr. William Mullins. Atom probe tomographic measurements were performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT). The LEAP tomograph at NUCAPT was purchased and upgraded with funding from NSF-MRI (DMR-0420532) and ONR-DURIP (N00014-0400798, N00014-0610539, N00014-0910781). Instrumentation at NUCAPT was supported by the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University (ISEN), Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource (NSF NNCI-1542205), and the MRSEC program (NSF DMR-1121262) through Northwestern’s Materials Research Center. X-ray diffraction experiments were performed at the DuPont-Northwestern-Dow Collaborative Access Team (DND-CAT) Synchrotron Research Center located at Sector 5 of the Advanced Photon Source (APS). Dr D.T. Keane (DND beamline) is kindly thanked for his assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA

    Divya Jain, Dieter Isheim & David N. Seidman

  2. Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA

    Dieter Isheim & David N. Seidman

  3. NanoAl LLC, Illinois Science + Technology Park, 8025 Lamon Ave, Suite number 446, Skokie, IL, 60077, USA

    David N. Seidman

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Manuscript submitted January 30, 2017.

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Jain, D., Isheim, D. & Seidman, D.N. Carbon Redistribution and Carbide Precipitation in a High-Strength Low-Carbon HSLA-115 Steel Studied on a Nanoscale by Atom Probe Tomography. Metall Mater Trans A 48, 3205–3219 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-017-4129-3

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