Qian Wang

A medium-carbon Cr–Mo–V martensitic steel was thermally processed by quenching (Q) at 890 °C and tempering (T) at increasing temperatures from 650 °C to 720 °C and the effect of tempering temperature, T_t, on sulfide stress cracking (SSC) behaviors was estimated mainly via double cantilever beam (DCB) and electrochemical hydrogen permeation (EHP) tests and microstructure characterization. The results indicate that the threshold stress intensity factor for SSC, K_ISSC, increased with increasing T_t. The overall and local H concentration around the inclusions decreased with increasing T_t, due to reductions in the amounts of solute atoms, grain boundaries and dislocations, which effectively prevented SSC initiation. Also, increasing T_t caused an increased fraction of high-angle boundaries, which evidently lowered the SSC propagation rate by more frequently diverting the propagating direction and accordingly restricted SSC propagation. The overall SSC resistance of this Q&T–treated steel was therefore significantly enhanced.

To determine the appropriate welding heat input for simulated coarse grained heat affected zone (CGHAZ) of 800 MPa-grade steel used in hydropower penstocks, the microstructural evolution, hardness, and 50% fraction appearance transition temperature (50% FATT) were investigated. The results indicated that when the cooling rate (heat input) is reduced (increased), the impact toughness at −20 °C and hardness of the simulated CGHAZ decreased. When the heat input increased from 18 to 81 kJ/cm, the 50% FATT increased from −80 °C to −11 °C. At 18 kJ/cm, the microstructures consisted of lath bainite and granular bainite, but lath bainite decreased with increasing heat input. The increase in the 50% FATT was attributed mainly to an increase in the austenite grain size and effective grain size, and a decrease in lath bainite and the fraction of HAGBs (misorientation: ≥15°).

The thermo-mechanical control processing (TMCP) of low carbon (C) Nb-Ti-containing HSLA steel with different cooling rates from 5 to 20 °C/s was simulated using a Gleeble 3500 system. The samples’ microstructure was characterized and the tensile properties measured. The results show that a microstructure mainly consisting of quasi-polygonal ferrite (QPF), granular bainitic ferrite (GBF), and martensite/austenite (M/A) constituent formed in each sample. Furthermore, the accelerated cooling led to a significant grain refinement of the QPF and GBF, and an increase in the density of dislocations, as well as suppressed the precipitation of nanoscale particles; however, the overall yield strength (YS) still increased obviously. The accelerated cooling also brought about a decrease in amount of M/A constituent acting as a mixed hard phase, which weakened the overall strain-hardening capacity of the QPF + GBF + M/A multiphase steel and simultaneously elevated yield-to-tensile strength ratio (YR). In addition, the mechanisms in dominating the influence of controlled cooling on the final microstructure and tensile properties were discussed.

The relationship between microstructure and tensile properties of an Nb–Ti microalloyed X90 pipeline steel was studied as a function of finish rolling temperature using a Gleeble 3500 simulator, an optical and scanning electron microscope, electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD), a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that the microstructure is primarily composed of non-equiaxed ferrite with martensite/austenite (M/A) constituent dispersed at grain boundaries for the specimens with different finish rolling temperatures. With a decrease in the finish rolling temperature, the yield strength increases, following a significant increase in the grain refinement strengthening contribution and dislocation strengthening contribution, although the precipitation strengthening contribution decreases. The increasing yield ratio (YR) shows that the strain hardening capacity declines as a result of the microstructure evolution when decreasing the finish rolling temperature.

X90 pipeline steel was processed with the simulated coarse grain heat affect zone (CGHAZ) thermal cycle with heat input varying from 30 kJ/cm to 60 kJ/cm, the microstructures were investigated by means of optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the impact properties were evaluated from the welding thermal cycle treated samples. The results indicate that the microstructure is primarily composed of lath bainite. When decreasing the heat input, both bainite packet and block are significantly refined, and the toughness has an increased tendency due to the grain refinement. The fracture surfaces all present cleavage fracture for the samples with different heat inputs. Moreover, the average cleavage facet size for the CGHAZ is nearly equal to the average bainite packet size, and the bainitic packet boundary can strongly impede the crack propagation, indicating that the bainitic packet is the most effective unit in control of impact toughness in the simulated CGHAZ of X90 pipeline steel.