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Title: Effects of welding and post-weld heat treatments on nanoscale precipitation and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel hardened by NiAl and Cu nanoparticles

Abstract

The effects of welding and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) on nanoscale co-precipitation, grain structure, and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel were studied through a combination of atom probe tomography (APT) and mechanical tests. Our results indicate that the welding process dissolves all pre-existing nanoparticles and causes grain coarsening in the fusion zone, resulting in a soft and ductile weld without any cracks in the as-welded condition. A 550 °C PWHT induces fine-scale re-precipitation of NiAl and Cu co-precipitates with high number densities and ultra-fine sizes, leading to a large recovery of strength but a loss of ductility with intergranular failure, whereas a 600 °C PWHT gives rise to coarse-scale re-precipitation of nanoparticles together with the formation of a small amount of reverted austenite, resulting in a great recovery in both strength and ductility. Our analysis indicates that the degree of strength recovery is dependent mainly upon the re-precipitation microstructure of nanoparticles, together with grain size and reversion of austenite, while the ductility recovery is sensitive to the grain-boundary structure. In conclusion, APT reveals that the grain-boundary segregation of Mn and P may be the main reason for the 550 °C embrittlement, and the enhanced ductility at 600 °Cmore » is ascribed to a possible reduction of the segregation and reversion of austenite.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. City Univ. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1324206
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Acta Materialia
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 1359-6454
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; welding; ultra-high strength steel; precipitation; mechanical property; structure-property relationship

Citation Formats

Jiao, Z. B., Luan, J. H., Guo, W., Poplawsky, J. D., and Liu, C. T. Effects of welding and post-weld heat treatments on nanoscale precipitation and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel hardened by NiAl and Cu nanoparticles. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2016.08.066.
Jiao, Z. B., Luan, J. H., Guo, W., Poplawsky, J. D., & Liu, C. T. Effects of welding and post-weld heat treatments on nanoscale precipitation and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel hardened by NiAl and Cu nanoparticles. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2016.08.066
Jiao, Z. B., Luan, J. H., Guo, W., Poplawsky, J. D., and Liu, C. T. Thu . "Effects of welding and post-weld heat treatments on nanoscale precipitation and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel hardened by NiAl and Cu nanoparticles". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2016.08.066. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1324206.
@article{osti_1324206,
title = {Effects of welding and post-weld heat treatments on nanoscale precipitation and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel hardened by NiAl and Cu nanoparticles},
author = {Jiao, Z. B. and Luan, J. H. and Guo, W. and Poplawsky, J. D. and Liu, C. T.},
abstractNote = {The effects of welding and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) on nanoscale co-precipitation, grain structure, and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength steel were studied through a combination of atom probe tomography (APT) and mechanical tests. Our results indicate that the welding process dissolves all pre-existing nanoparticles and causes grain coarsening in the fusion zone, resulting in a soft and ductile weld without any cracks in the as-welded condition. A 550 °C PWHT induces fine-scale re-precipitation of NiAl and Cu co-precipitates with high number densities and ultra-fine sizes, leading to a large recovery of strength but a loss of ductility with intergranular failure, whereas a 600 °C PWHT gives rise to coarse-scale re-precipitation of nanoparticles together with the formation of a small amount of reverted austenite, resulting in a great recovery in both strength and ductility. Our analysis indicates that the degree of strength recovery is dependent mainly upon the re-precipitation microstructure of nanoparticles, together with grain size and reversion of austenite, while the ductility recovery is sensitive to the grain-boundary structure. In conclusion, APT reveals that the grain-boundary segregation of Mn and P may be the main reason for the 550 °C embrittlement, and the enhanced ductility at 600 °C is ascribed to a possible reduction of the segregation and reversion of austenite.},
doi = {10.1016/j.actamat.2016.08.066},
journal = {Acta Materialia},
number = C,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

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