• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 2008

Conventional plasma carburizing or nitriding for austenitic stainless steels results in a degradation of corrosion resistance. However, a low temperature plasma surface treatment can improve surface hardness without deteriorating the corrosion resistance. The 2-step low temperature plasma processes (the combined carburizing and post nitriding) offers the increase of both surface hardness and thickness of hardened layer and corrosion resistance than the individually processed low temperature nitriding and low temperature carburizing techniques. In the present paper, attempts have been made to investigate the influence of the introduction of Ar gas (0~20%) in nitriding atmosphere during low temperature plasma nitriding at $370^{\circ}C$ after low temperature plasma carburizing at $470^{\circ}C$. All treated specimens exhibited the increase of the surface hardness with increasing Ar level in the atmosphere and the surface hardness value reached up to 1050 HV0.1, greater than 750 $HV_{0.1}$ in the carburized state. The expanded austenite phase (${\gamma}_N$) was observed on the most of the treated surfaces. The thickness of the ${\gamma}_N$ layer reached about $7{\mu}m$ for the specimen treated in the nitriding atmosphere containing 20% Ar. In case of 10% Ar containing atmosphere, the corrosion resistance was significantly enhanced than untreated austenitic stainless steels, whilst 20% Ar level in the atmosphere caused to form CrN in the N-enriched layer (${\gamma}_N$), which led to the degradation of corrosion resistance compared with untreated austenitic stainless steels.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.137-143
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• 2003

The air gap between the metal and mold, formed by shrinkage during solidification, causes surface and subsurface cracks in the continuous casting process. Molten crack on the surface might also occur due to improper heat transfer between them. In order to compensate the air gap in mold design, the thermal contraction is an essential factor. In this study, the thermal contraction and expansion behaviors were examined from the ($\alpha$ and pearlite)/${\gamma}$ to ${\gamma}$/$\delta$ transformations in continuous casting steels by the commercial dilatometer and the self- assembled dilatometer with laser distance measurement. It was found that the thermal contraction and expansion behaviors were very dependant on the phase transformation of the ${\gamma}$/$\delta$ as well as ($\alpha$ and pearlite)/${\gamma}$. The sudden volume change from $\delta$ to ${\gamma}$ which might cause cracks in the continuous casting process, was observed on cooling just below the melting temperature by the self-assembled dilatometer.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.21 no.B
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• pp.331-339
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• 2001

Zero to tension fatigue tests and strain controlled fatigue tests were carried out to find how initial strain induced martensite, ${\alpha}^{\prime}$ affects low and high cycle fatigue behavior and fatigue crack growth mechanisms. Microscopic study and phase analysis were carried out with TEM, SEM, EDAX, Optical Microscope, Ferriscope, and X-ray diffractometry. The amount of Initial ${\alpha}^{\prime}$ was controlled from 0% to 33% by controlling the temperatures for cold working and heat treatment. Lower contents of initial ${\alpha}^{\prime}$ showed higher fatigue resistance in low cycle fatigue but lower fatigue resistance in high cycle fatigue because it is ascribed to the more transformation of ${\alpha}^{\prime}$ martensite during low cycle fatigue and higher ductility. In high cycle fatigue, fatigue life is attributed to the strength and phase transformation of austenite into ${\alpha}^{\prime}$ during fatigue was negligible. ${\gamma}$ boundary, ${\gamma}/twin$ boundary, and ${\gamma}/{\alpha}^{\prime}$ boundary were found to be the preferred site of fatigue crack initiation.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2005

The damping property of Fe-12Cr-22Mn-X alloys has been investigated to develop high damping and high strength alloy. Particularly, the effect of the phase of austenite, alpha and epsilon martensite, which constitute the structure of the alloys Fe-12Cr-22Mn-X alloys, on the damping capacity at room temperature has been investigated. Various fraction of these phases were formed depending on the alloy element and cold work degree. The damping capacity is strongly affected by ${\varepsilon}$ martensite while the other phase, such as ${\alpha}'$ martensite, actually exhibit little effect on damping capacity. In case of Fe-12Cr-22Mn-3Co alloy, the large volume fraction of ${\varepsilon}$ martensite formed at about 30% cold rolling, and in case of Fe-12Cr-22Mn-1Ti alloy, formed at about 20% cold rolling and showed the highest damping capacity. Damping capacity showed higher value in Fe-12Cr-22Mn-1Ti alloy than one in Fe-12Cr-22Mn-3Co alloy.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.31-37
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• 2004

The damping capacity and strength of Fe-2Al-26Mn alloys have been studied for the development of new materials with high strength and damping capacity. Particularly, the effect of ${\alpha}'\;and\;{\varepsilon}$ martensite phase, which constitutes the microstructure of cold rolled Fe-Al-Mn alloys, has been investigated in terms of the strength and damping capacity of the alloys. The damping capacity rises with increasing the degree of cold rolling and reveals the maximum value at 25% reduction. The damping capacity is strongly affected by the volume fraction of ${\varepsilon}$ martensite, while the other phases, such as ${\alpha}'$ martensite and austenite phase, actually exhibit little effect on damping capacity. Considering that tensile strength increases and elongation decreases with increasing the volume fraction of ${\alpha}'$ martensite, it is proved that tensile strength is mainly affected by the amount of ${\alpha}'$ martensite.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.284-288
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• 2012

A study on microstructure control of multi-phase steel have been implemented to higher strength with improved formability. However, it is well known that the high strength of steel are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. The mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement is caused by complex interactions. In this paper, the test specimens were fabricated to 5 type of 590DP steels at different levels of volume faction. The hydrogen charging was conducted by electrochemical hydrogen-charge method with varying charging time. The relationship between hydrogen concentration and volume fraction of 590DP steel was established by SP test and SEM-fractography. It was shown that the hydrogen amounts charged in 590DP steels increased with increasing the volume faction of austenite. The maximum loads of the 590DP steels in SP test were sharply decreased with increasing hydrogen charging time. The results of SEM-fractography investigation showed typical brittle-fracture surfaces for hydrogen-charged 590DP steels.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.242-251
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• 1995

Highly alloyed high speed tool steels(ASP steels) were rapidly solidified by melt spinning process, and the microstructures of melt spun tool steel ribbons were examined by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscope. The microstructure of melt spun tool steel ribbon was found to be consisted of ${\delta}-ferrite$ cells surrounded by austenite and V-rich MC carbides. The size of ${\delta}-ferrite$ cells and intercellular MC carbides were about $0.4{\mu}m$ or less and 30nm or less, respectively. From the melt spun tool steel ribbons, only the MC type carbide phase was observed, instead of $M_2C$, $M_{23}C_6$ and $M_6C$ carbides which were generally observed in other rapidly solidified high speed steels. Such a change in type of carbide phase formed could be attributed to the increase in alloying content of vanadium and carbon. However, changes in microsturcture of melt spun tool steels with alloying content of cobalt, vanadium and carbon were not observed.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2015

Low carbon steel of composition 0.05C - 0.18 Mn - 0.012 Si is intercritically annealed at temperatures $750^{\circ}C$, $775^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$. The equilibrated alloys of different amounts of austenite with varying carbon contents are quenched in iced water. The same alloys are subcritically annealed at $675^{\circ}C$ and $700^{\circ}C$ for varying periods of times; the subcritically annealed alloy samples are quenched in iced water. Optical, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy are carried out for all the samples. The dislocation structure, its distribution and density present in the above prepared duplex ferrite martensite steels are studied. The martensites are found to be highly dislocated due to lattice invariant deformation. At the same time ferrite adjoining the martensite areas also exhibits quite a high dislocation density. The high dislocation density is favorable for strain ageing and hence bakes hardenability. EDS analyses were carried out for both martensite and ferrite phases; it is found that the degree of supersaturation in ferrite together with carbon content in martensite varies with the process parameters. The microhardness test results show that the hardness values of different phases differ appreciably with process parameters. The microstructures and the corresponding microanalyses reveal that differently processed steels contain phases of varying compositions and different distribution.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 2013

The strain-induced phase transformation from austenite to martensite is responsible for the high strength and ductility of TRIP steels. However high strength steels are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hydrogen on the behavior of hydrogen delayed fracture in TRIP steel with hydrogen charging conditions. The electrochemical hydrogen charging was conducted at each specimen with varying current density and charging time. The relationship between hydrogen concentration and mechanical properties of TRIP steel was established by SP test and SEM fractography. The maximum loads and displacements of the TRIP steel in SP test decreased with increasing hydrogen charging time. The results of SEM fractography investigation revealed typical brittle mode of failure. Thus it was concluded that hydrogen delayed fracture in TRIP steel result from the diffusion of hydrogen through the ${\alpha}$' phase.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.39-40
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• 2006

The relationship between the powder particle size change and a mechanical property of the Metal Injection Molding (MIM) product was examined in detail. The XRD results indicate that the diffraction peaks of BCC appeared in compacts of powder particle size of 4 to $10{\mu}m$ as well as the bulk SUS630. However, the diffraction peaks from both BCC and FCC were observed in the compact with powder size less than $3{\mu}m$. TEM observation revealed that the powder with those BCC/FCC two phase structure have a finely dispersed $SiO_2$ precipitates. Because the Si is ferrite stabilizing element, decrease of Si composition in the matrix phase by the $SiO_2$ precipitation resulted in formation of the retained austenite. Therefore, controlling the elements such as Si as well as oxygen decrease is very important to obtain a normal microstructure in ultra-fine powder $(<3{\mu}m)$ injection molding.