Effects of silicon additions on the mechanical properties and microstructure of high speed steels

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Acta Materialia

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-6454(97)00121-3· OSTI ID:590015

Pan, F; Ding, P; Zhou, S ^[1]; Kang, M ^[2]; Edmonds, D V ^[3]

---

1. Chongqing Univ. (China). Dept. of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
2. Northwestern Polytechnic Univ., Xi`an (China). Dept. of Materials Engineering
3. Univ. of Leeds (United Kingdom). School of Materials

The effects of silicon additions up to 3.5 wt% on the mechanical properties and microstructure of high speed steels 6W3Mo2Cr4V, W3Mo2Cr4V and W9Mo3Cr4V have been investigated. In order to understand these effects further, a Fe-16Mo-0.9C alloy is also used. The results show silicon additions can increase the temper hardness of steels Fe-16Mo-0.9C, 6W3Mo2Cr4V and W3Mo2Cr4V, bu yield an opposite influence on the temper hardness in W9Mo3Cr4V steels. A critical tempering temperature exists for the bending strength of high speed steels containing silicon. If tempering is carried out at temperatures lower than the critical temperature, the bending strength of the high speed steels can be improved by the addition of silicon, otherwise their bending strength is decreased. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that silicon additions can obviously refine secondary hardening carbides and inhibit the formation of M{sub 3}C cementite at peak temperature. However, they are also found to accelerate both the depletion of martensite and the formation of coarse M{sub 6}C precipitates during tempering. The mechanism whereby silicon additions affect the secondary hardness of high speed steels is discussed in detail, and the types of high speed steel in which silicon additions can be used are suggested.

• OSTI ID: 590015
• Journal Information: Acta Materialia, Journal Name: Acta Materialia Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 45; ISSN 1359-6454; ISSN ACMAFD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLURGICAL EFFECTS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
SILICON ADDITIONS
STEELS
TUNGSTEN ALLOYS
VANADIUM ALLOYS