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A Study of Microstructure and Phase Transformations of Medium Carbon Dual

Phase Steels

Conference Paper · January 2013

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Ersoy Erisir Oğuz Gürkan Bilir

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A STUDY OF MICROSTRUCTURE AND PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS OF MEDIUM CARBON

DUAL PHASE STEELS

Ersoy Erişir1, Oğuz Gürkan Bilir1

1Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Kocaeli University, 41380-Kocaeli-Turkey

Abstract
In this study, the suitability for producing dual phase steel from hot rolled medium carbon steel for mining
industry and the effect of annealing temperature on hardness and microstructure has been investigated. The
critical equilibrium temperatures and phase diagram were calculated using Thermo-Calc software for 0.37C-
0.87Mn steel. In experimental studies using dilatometer, microstructures containing ferrite and martensite
were produced by intermediate quenching method with annealing at different temperatures followed by water
quenching. Before the intermediate quenching, the specimens were first quenched to form martensite from
austenitizing temperature of 1100 °C. Fully martensitic samples were then annealed respectively at 725,
730, 740, 750 °C for 15 min and quenched. During the annealing, the austenite nucleates and grows at
former boundaries of the martensite plates resulting fibrous microstructure of martensite and ferrite.
Microstructural investigations were carried out using light microscope and scanning electron microscope to
investigate the effect of the increasing annealing temperature on the microstructure. Vickers test was applied
to specimens. The calculations and experimental results show that hot rolled medium carbon steels are
suitable to produce a dual phase microstructure. It was observed that increasing annealing temperature
increases the amount of martensite and hardness because martensite is the main phase controls the
hardness value of steel. It is observed that the A1 and A3 temperatures are very close and the percentage of
austenite is much more than conventionally produced dual phase steels. It is related to including more
carbon content than conventionally produced dual phase steel.

Keywords: dual phase steel, medium carbon steel, intermediate quenching, microstructure, phase
transformation

1. INTRODUCTION

Dual phase steels are developed with the need of lighter steels with the automotive industry's purpose of
energy saving and producing eco-friendly cars [1-3]. Definition of the term “dual phase” means the consisting
of martensite and ferrite phases together in microstructure. However, retained austenite, pearlite, bainite or
new ferrite phase may also exist depending on the cooling rate or the chemical composition of steel. The
main important mechanical properties of dual phase steels are high strength, high work-hardening potential,
low yield/tensile strength ratio and high machinability. Dual phase steels resembles the composite materials,
because of the synergistic effect of two phases, while martensite controls the strength of steel, ferrite is the
responsible for the formability properties [1-11]. Production of dual phase microstructure requires the water
quenching after the annealing at intercritical region which is between A1 and A3 temperatures. Initial
microstructures (before annealing) can be martensite, ferrite+pearlite or austenite and affect the final
morphologies and properties. Initial microstructure is annealed at an intercritical region named different
production methods which are respectively, intermediate quenching, intercritical annealing and step
quenching [1-3, 12]. Amount of the different phases in dual phase microstructure and their morphologies are
key parameters for controlling the mechanical properties. Increasing the annealing temperature provides
more martensite volume fractions so the controlling the phase distributions is possible with controlling the
annealing temperature [11-16].
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Since automotive industry requires good weldability, dual phase microstructure commonly applied to low
carbon steels but theoretically it is possible to apply all hypoeutoctoid steels. Mining support profiles are
produced using hot rolled medium carbon steels. The profiles are quenched and tempered and finally
connected mechanically using clamps and without weldability operation. Thus, dual phase concept can be
potentially extended to mining support profiles. In this study, the suitability of a dual phase microstructure for
a hot rolled medium carbon steel is investigated.

2. MATERIAL AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

The steel used in this study was a hot rolled 0.37C-0.87Mn steel. The detailed chemical composition of the
steel is given in Table 1. The calculations were made with the ThermoCalc software using the TCS Steel
Database TCFE6 [17, 18]. The aim of the calculations was the prediction of + phase range using isopleth
of Fe-C phase diagram. Following elements are considered in the calculations according to chemical
composition in Table 1; % 0.279 Si, % 0.865 Mn, % 0.04 Cr, % 0.047 Al and 100 ppm N.
Table 1 Chemical composition of investigated steel.
Chemical composition (%weight)
C Si Mn P S Cr Mo Ni V W Cu
0,368 0,279 0,865 0,0195 0,0063 0,0413 0,0168 0,0769 0,0021 0,0310 0,0597
Al Nb Ti B
0,0472 0,0033 0,0034 0,0012
.

The intermediate quenching experiments were carried out in a Bähr DIL805 plastodilatometer in order to
investigate the phase transformations in the investigated steel. The standard specimen size of 5 mm
diameter and 10 mm length was used for the dilatometer experiments. The annealing conditions applied to
the specimens are given in Fig. 1. The samples were annealed at 1100 ºC for 5 min and followed by gas
quenching with a cooling rate of 130 K/s to obtain fully martensitic initial microstructure. After martensitic
transformation, specimens were annealed respectively at 725, 730, 740 and 750°C for 15 min and finally gas
quenched again. The samples were metallographically prepared. After sample preparation Nital etching was
applied, light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) used to investigate the effect of
annealing temperature on microstructure. Vickers test was applied to understand microstructural evolutions.

Fig. 1 Intermediate quenching heat treatment cycle of steel.

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3. RESULTS
According to the intermediate quenching method [6], the specimens are annealed in the intercritical
temperature range of ferrite and austenite phase region. ThermoCalc is used to determine the intercritical
temperature range between A1 and A3 temperatures. Fig. 2 is an isopleth diagram showing stability of
phases as a function of temperature and carbon content. The dashed line in diagram indicates the relevant
carbon amount for the steel composition used here. According to the thermodynamic calculations, liquid (L),
ferrite, austenite, AlN, cementite phases are in equilibrium. According to the results, A C3, AC1b and AC1e are
equal to 786 ºC, 721 ºC and 711 ºC, respectively.

Fig. 2 Calculated isopleth section by using Thermo-Calc at wt. % 0.279 Si, % 0.865 Mn, % 0.04 Cr, % 0.047
Al and 100 ppm N of Fe-C system.
Four different annealing temperatures (725, 730, 740, and 750 °C) were chosen for the intermediate
quenching experiments. According to the thermodynamical calculations, all four temperatures should be lie
in + phase region. After quenching from annealing temperatures, typical intermediate quenching
microstructure is obtained. In Fig. 3, the same area can comparatively be seen after the intermediate
quenching in LM and SEM micrographs. The annealing resulted in fibrous microstructure of martensite and
ferrite phases. In LM micrograph, white regions are ferrite (F), dark regions bainite/pearlite (B/P) and rest of
the microstructure is martensite (M). The same area on SEM investigation reveals also martensite,
bainite/pearlite and ferrite regions as indicated in Fig. 3b.
 15. - 17. 5. 2013, Brno, Czech Republic, EU

a)

b)

Fig. 3 LM and SEM micrographs of steel annealed at 730°C, M: martensite, F: ferrite, B/P bainite/pearlite.

Initial microstructures before the intermediate quenching are fully martensitic as shown in Fig. 4a and b. The
intermediate quenching at 725-750 °C results in formation of microstructures in Fig. 4c-j. Raising the
annealing temperature increased the amount of martensite as it can be seen in Fig. 4. Increased amount of
martensite can also be seen from the hardness measurements. Table 2 shows the Vickers test results and
indicates that raising the annealing temperature results in increased hardness. It is obtained that ferrite
phase is mostly in Widmanstaetten formation and martensite islands are distributed in ferrite matrix. Besides
ferrite and martensite, a dark colored third phase are present in microstructures for all annealing
temperatures but not in the initial microstructure. It is concluded that this regions are formed due to
quenching and may be bainite and/or pearlite. Small amaount of Bainite and/or pearlite (B/P) can be
appeared in dual phase microstructure [11]. Annealing at lower temperatures produces more B/P fraction as
seen in Fig. 4. On the other hand, annealing temperature has no significant effect on dual phase
microstructure except the martensite amount. The lowest annealing temperature (725 ºC) is very close to the
calculated A3 temperature of steel. Therefore, complete transformation of martensite to austenite could not
be obtained.
 15. - 17. 5. 2013, Brno, Czech Republic, EU

1100 ºC a) b)

725 ºC c) d)

730 ºC e) f)

740 ºC g) h)

750 ºC i) j)

Fig. 4 SEM and LM microstructures of specimens a,b ) fully martensitic, quenching temperature, 1100 ºC
and c-d, e-f, g-h, i-j represents annealing at 725, 730, 740, 750 °C respectively.
 15. - 17. 5. 2013, Brno, Czech Republic, EU

Table 2 Vickers test results.

Annealing temperature (ºC) 1100 725 730 740 750
Vickers hardness (HV) 565,48 268,49 270,12 270,19 337,10

4. DISCUSSION
Dual phase microstructure and phase transformations of 0.37C-0.87Mn steel were investigated after the
intermediate quenching experiments from different annealing temperatures. Main results can be summarized
as follows:
-Thermodynamical calculations are shown that + phase region can be existed at temperatures between
786 ºC and 721 ºC. Thus, annealing temperatures for the intermediate quenching experiments could be
chosen at this temperature range.
-Dual phase microstructure can be produced by intermediate quenching experiments using 0.38C-0.87Mn
steel. Micrographs of specimens after intermediate quenching experiments showed martensite islands in
matrix of ferrite phase. The amount of martensite volume fraction is increased with rising annealing
temperature. The Vickers hardness of specimens indicates also hardness increase due to the increase of
martensitic fraction.
- A third phase is observed in dual phase microstructure between ferrite and martensite phases. This phase
may be pearlite and/or bainite.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to Yapı-Tek Çelik Sanayi A.Ş., Kocaeli, Turkey for the supplement of
the alloy and to Dr. U. Prahl for access to a precision dilatometer.

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