Stabilisation MST 2007-1

Mechanical stabilisation of eutectoid steel
M. Maalekian1, E. Kozeschnik1, S. Chatterjee2 and H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia*2

Martensitic transformation involves the translation of a glissile interface, whose motion can be
retarded by defects introduced into the parent austenite. Quantitative measurements of this
process of mechanical stabilisation in a eutectoid steel have been compared successfully against
a recent theory for the phenomenon.
Keywords: Mechanical stabilisation, Interface, Martensite, Dilatometry, Dislocations
Introduction DEFORM was performed as illustrated in Fig. 1,

showing a variation in effective strain of between 0.4
Displacive transformations involve the coordinated move- and 1 along the horizontal centreline.
ment of atoms. Such movements cannot be sustained Dilatometric data presented in Fig. 2 reveal two
against strong defects such as grain boundaries. Thus, effects. The martensite start temperature MS of the
martensite plates do not traverse austenite grain bound- deformed austenite is depressed by y10uC. Second, the
aries. Defects such as dislocations also hinder the trans- temperature range over which martensite forms is
lation of the martensite/austenite interface. It has been greater for the deformed austenite. These observations
known for some time that the plastic deformation of should in principle be explained by the theory of
austenite before its transformation retards the growth of mechanical stabilisation6 as explained in the following
martensite, a phenomenon known as mechanical stabili- section.
sation.1–5 This can be expressed quantitatively by balanc-
ing the force driving the transformation interface against
the resistance from dislocation debris in the austenite.6 Analysis
Eutectoid steels, particularly in wire form, often involve The theory for mechanical stabilisation relies on
transformation from deformed austenite. In the present balancing the force required to move the austenite/
work, the authors examine both experimentally and martensite interface through a forest of dislocations,
theoretically, the extent of mechanical stabilisation with against the force owing to the chemical free energy
respect to martensitic transformation in a eutectoid steel. change DGca driving the interface6
mbr1=2
Experimental ~DG ca (1)
8p(1{n)
The chemical composition of the steel studied is
0.75C–1.02Mn–0.28Si–0.11Cr–0.05Ni–0.015S–0.009P– where b50.252 nm is the magnitude of the Burgers
0.08Cu (wt-%). vector, m58610 Pa is the shear modulus of the
A Gleeble–1500 thermomechanical simulator was austenite, n50.27 is its Poisson’s ratio and r is the
used for the experiments. Two cylindrical samples, dislocation density.
12 mm diameter and 110 mm length, were machined DGca for transformation without a composition
for thermomechanical simulation using a Gleeble–1500. change was calculated using MTDATA.7 For the steel
They were heated at a rate of 100K s21 to 1100uC and used, this gives
were kept for 1 s before allowing them to cool. In one DG ca ~7:0337T{5218 J mol{1
case, the sample was deformed in compression along the (2)
longitudinal direction, within the range 1000–900uC at or D(DG ca ):7:0337DT
constant load (120 MPa stress at the beginning of
where T is the absolute temperature and the equation
deformation), the strain being implemented within 3 s.
applies over the range 450–510 K. The deformed and
The samples were then cooled to produce martensite
undeformed samples transform at different tempera-
when the change in diameter was monitored; the cooling
tures, i.e. at different driving forces, so that
period between 800 and 500uC was 8 s.
Compressive deformation can be heterogeneous. A ca ca {1
D(DG ca )~DG235 0 C {DG225 0 C ~70 J mol
finite element analysis using the commercial software
where D(DGca) is the magnitude of the change in
available driving force owing to the presence of
1
Institute for Materials Science, Welding and Forming, Materials Science
dislocations in the austenite, and DT is the correspond-
and Welding Technology, Graz University of Technology, ing reduction in MS temperature.
Kopernikusgasse 24, A 8010, Graz, Austria Using equation (1), the following can be obtained
2
Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of
Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK mb 1=2
*Corresponding author, email [email protected]
½r1=2 {r0 ~D(DG ca ):7:0337DT (3)
8p(1{n)
ß 2007 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining

Published by Maney on behalf of the Institute
Received 8 June 2006; accepted 4 July 2006
610 DOI 10.1179/174328407X158686 Materials Science and Technology 2007 VOL 23 NO 5
Maalekian et al. Mechanical stabilisation of eutectoid steel
be obtained
0:05sy e^scc DSV zwDr (5)
where sy is the yield stress of austenite (measured to be
30 MPa at 1000uC), scc is the austenite grain boundary
energy per unit area, taken to be 0.6 J m22 (Ref. 9) and
w.0.5mb2 is the dislocation energy per unit length.
For axisymmetic compression10
e 1=2 h i
SV 8e z4e{2e z1=3 e{e z2ðee Þ1=2
~ (6)
SV0 1z2ð3Þ1=2
The value of SV at zero deformation is given by
SV0 ~2=dc , where dc526¡3 mm is the mean lineal
intercept defining the austenite grain size.
The stored energy owing to deformation is simply
calculated using the term on the left hand side of
1 Strain distribution calculated as described in text: equation (5). Removing the component owing to the
effective strain is calculated using von Mises criterion; change in SV (equation (6)) from equation (5) gives the
dimensional changes during transformation were mea- change in dislocation density.
sured along horizontal line ab In the plastically deformed sample, transformation is
expected to begin at the point which has undergone the
The dislocation density r has a value r0 at zero plastic smallest plastic strain, i.e., 0.4 (line ab in Fig. 1). The
strain. predicted depression in the martensite start temperature
It follows that the depression of transformation using equations (3)–(5) is shown in Fig. 3. The calcu-
temperature can be calculated as a function of the lated values compare well with the measured value.
change in the dislocation density of the austenite. The fact that the sample does not deform homo-
However, it would be useful to be able to estimate the geneously has a consequence which is reflected in the
change in MS as a function of plastic strain rather than measurements. The effective strain within the region of
dislocation density. It is necessary therefore to derive a measurement varies from 0.4 to 1.0 (Fig. 1).
relationship between plastic strain e and dislocation Calculations using this range of strains show that the
density. Such a relationship will necessarily be approx- MS temperature should vary as a function of position,
imate, so two alternative methods were attempted. The from 225uC at the surface to y217uC in the centre of the
first is labelled empirical since it relies on measurements sample (Fig. 3). The transformation therefore occurs
carried out on different steels, and the second physical over a greater range of temperatures when compared
because it begins with an assumption about stored with the undeformed specimen, as shown in Fig. 2b.
energy.
For the empirical method, data from8 are used to
obtain Summary
13 14 It has been demonstrated that the change in martensite
|fflfflfflffl{zfflfflfflffl} z2|10 e
r~ 2|10 m{2 (4)
start temperature when the phase grows in deformed
r0
austenite can be estimated quantitatively using the
In the alternative approach it is assumed that only 5% theory of mechanical stabilisation, in which the chemical
of the plastic work is stored in the material, both owing free energy change driving the transformation front is
to changes in the austenite grain surface per unit opposed by the resistance to interface motion from
volume, DSV, and owing to the expected change in deformation defects. An interesting outcome is that the
dislocation density. By balancing the plastic work stored range over which martensite forms is extended when the
against the energy of defects created, the following can deformation in the austenite is heterogeneous.
a depression of MS when martensite forms in deformed austenite; b increased temperature range over which transforma-
tion occurs in deformed sample
2 Dilatometric data
Materials Science and Technology 2007 VOL 23 NO 5 611

Maalekian et al. Mechanical stabilisation of eutectoid steel
by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Labour,

Austria, and Tata Steel (India).
References
1. W. C. Leslie and R. L. Miller: ASM Trans. Q., 1964, 57, 972–979.
2. J. R. Strife, M. J. Carr and G. S. Ansell: Metall. Trans. A, 1977, 8A,
1471–1484.
3. K. Tsuzaki, S. Fukasaku, Y. Tomota and T. Maki: Trans. JIM,
1991, 32, 222–228.
4. V. Raghavan: ‘Kinetics of martensitic transformations’, 197–226;
1992, Materials, OH, ASM International.
5. H. S. Wang, J. R. Yang and H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia: Mater. Sci.
Technol., 2005, 21, 1323–1328.
6. S. Chatterjee, H. S. Wang, J. R. Yang and H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia:
Mater. Sci. Technol., 2006, 22, 641–644.
3 Calculated changes in MS as function of plastic strain 7. MTDATA: Software, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington,
in austenite before its transformation UK, 2006.
8. F. Vodopivec, S. Reskovi and I. Mamuzic: Mater. Sci. Technol.,
1999, 15, 1293–1299.
Acknowledgement 9. L. E. Murr: ‘Interfacial phenomena in metals and alloys’, 131;
1975, USA, Addison and Wesley Publication Company.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial 10. Q. Zhu, C. M. Sellars and H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia: Mater. Sci.
support of this work as part of K–net JOIN granted Technol., 2007, DOI 10.1179/174328407X157308.
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Mechanical stabilisation of eutectoid steel

M. Maalekian1, E. Kozeschnik1, S. Chatterjee2 and H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia*2

Introduction DEFORM was performed as illustrated in Fig. 1,

ß 2007 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining

Materials Science and Technology 2007 VOL 23 NO 5 611

by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Labour,

612 Materials Science and Technology 2007 VOL 23 NO 5

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