Study of intergranular embrittlement in Fe-12Mn alloys
A high resolution scanning Auger microscopic study has been performed on the intergranular fracture surfaces of Fe-12Mn steels in the as-austenitized condition. Fracture mode below the ductile-brittle transition temperature was intergranular whenever the alloy was quenched from the austenite field. The intergranular fracture surface failed to reveal any consistent segregation of P, S, As, O, or N. The occasional appearance of S or O on the fracture surface was found to be due to a low density precipitation of MnS and MnO/sub 2/ along the prior austenite boundaries. An AES study with Ar/sup +/ ion-sputtering showed no evidence of manganese enrichment along the prior austenite boundaries, but a slight segregation of carbon which does not appear to be implicated in the tendency toward intergranular fracture. Addition of 0.002% B with a 1000/sup 0/C/1h/WQ treatment yielded a high Charpy impact energy at liquid nitrogen temperature, preventing the intergranular fracture. High resolution AES studies showed that 3 at. % B on the prior austenite grain boundaries is most effective in increasing the grain boundary cohesive strength in an Fe-12Mn alloy. Trace additions of Mg, Zr, or V had negligible effects on the intergranular embrittlement. A 450/sup 0/C temper of the boron-modified alloys was found to cause tempered martensite embrittlement, leading to intergranular fracture. The embrittling treatment of the Fe-12Mn alloys with and without boron additions raised the ductile-brittle transition by 150/sup 0/C. This tempered martensite embrittlement was found to be due to the Mn enrichment of the fracture surface to 32 at. % Mn in the boron-modified alloy and 38 at. % Mn in the unmodified alloy. The Mn-enriched region along the prior austenite grain boundaries upon further tempering is believed to cause nucleation of austenite and to change the chemistry of the intergranular fracture surfaces. 61 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 6715393
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-14747; ON: DE83002623
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis. Submitted to Univ. of California, Berkeley. Portions of document are illegible
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MANGANESE ALLOYS
EMBRITTLEMENT
STEELS
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
BORON ADDITIONS
BRITTLE-DUCTILE TRANSITIONS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
HEAT TREATMENTS
SURFACES
ALLOYS
BORON ALLOYS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
SPECTROSCOPY
360103* - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties