• Laser Solutions
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

In this study, Al-Si coated boron steel(1.2 mm) were laser welded by $CO_2$ laser and hot-stamping was applied to the laser joints. Tensile properties and microstructures of the joints were investigated before and after hot-stamping. Tensile and yield strengths of the as welded specimen similar with base metal and fracture occurred base metal of boron steel. Although, in case of heat treated specimen, fracture occurred fusion zone that Al segregated zone near the bond line. These could be explained by the existence of ferrite, in the Al segregated zone near the bond line and base metal of boron steel. Before hot-stamping, hardness of base metal is lower than fusion zone and heat affected zone in spite of exist Al segregation zone($Fe_3$(Al,Si)). So fracture occurred base metal. Although, after hot-stamping, microstructure of base metal and welds zone transformed to martensite and bainite except in Al segregation zone near the bond line that $Fe_3$(Al,Si) transformed to a-ferrite. So fracture occurred Al segregation zone near the bond line.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2020

For microstructural analysis of a friction stir welded (FSWed) joint of advanced high-strength steels, dual phase (DP) and complex phase (CP) steels, are studied. FSWed joints are successfully fabricated in the following four cases: (i) DP/DP; (ii) CP/CP; (iii) DP/CP, where the advancing side is DP and the retreating side is CP; (iv) CP/DP, where the advancing side is CP and the retreating side is DP. The stir zone (SZ) of (i) the DP/DP joint mainly consists of lath martensite, while the stir zone of (ii) the CP/CP joint consists not only of lath martensite but also of bainite. In the case of (iii) DP/CP and (iv) CP/DP, they exhibit a similar microstructure including acicular-shaped phases in the joints; however, cross-sections of the joints show differences in material mixing in each case. In (iv) the CP/DP joint, temperature towards the CP steel is sufficient to cause softening, thus leading to better mixing than that in (iii) DP/CP. The phases of the SZ in each of the four cases are formed by phase transformation during the FSWed process; however, the transformed phase volume fraction of CP steel is lower than that of DP steel, indicating that dynamic recrystallization occurs mainly in CP steel. The hardness values of the SZ are significantly higher than those of the base materials, especially, the SZ of (iii) the DP/CP joint has the highest value due to highest fraction of lath martensite.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2011

Microstructural characteristics of two high strength (600 MPa & 800 MPa) weld metals produced by flux-cored arc welding process (FCAW) were evaluated. The 600 MPa grade weld metal was consisted of 75% acicular ferrite and 25% ferrite which was formed at relatively high temperature (grain boundary ferrite, widmanstatten ferrite, polygonal ferrite). However, the 800 MPa grade weld metal was composed of about 85% acicular ferrite and 15% low temperature forming phases (bainite, martensite). The prior austenite grain size of 800 MPa grade weld metal was decreased by solute drag force. The compositions and sizes of inclusions which are the dominant factors for the formation of acicular ferrite were analyzed by a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In both 600 MPa and 800MPa grade weld metals, the inclusions were mainly consisted of Ti-oxide and Mn-oxide, and the average size of inclusions was $0.7{\mu}m$. The 800 MPa grade weld metal exhibited higher tensile strength and similar toughness compared with the 600 MPa grade weld metal. This result is mainly due to a higher fraction of low temperature products and a lower fraction of grain boundary ferrite in the 800 MPa grade weld metal.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.305-312
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• 2009

The effects of Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) and Annealed Martensite (AM) heat treatment on the microstructure and tensile properties were investigated for 0.24C-0.5Si-1.5Mn-1Al steels. The Q&P steels were annealed at a single phase ($\gamma$) or a dual phase (${\gamma}+{\alpha}$), followed by quenching to a temperature between $M_s$ and $M_f$. Then, enriching carbon was conducted to stabilize the austenite through the partitioning, followed by water quenching. The AM steels were intercritically annealed at a dual phase (${\gamma}+{\alpha}$) temperature and austempered at $M_s$ and $M_s{\pm}50^{\circ}C$, followed by cooling in oil quenching. The dual phase Q&P steels showed lower tensile strength and yieldyield strength than those of the single phase Q&P steels, and tThe elongation for the dual phase Q&P steel was partitioning 100s higher than that of that for the single phase Q&P steels as the partitioning time was less than 100s up to partitioning 100s. For AM steels, the tensile/yield strength decreased and the total elongation increased as the austempering temperature increased. The stability of the retained austenite controlled the elongation for Q&P steels and the volume fraction of the retained austenite controlled the elongation for AM steels.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.9
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• pp.523-532
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• 2009

In this study, four API X80 linepipe steel specimens were fabricated with varying cooling rates and finish cooling temperatures, and their microstructures and crystallographic orientations were analyzed to investigate the effects of cooling conditions on their tensile and Charpy impact properties. All the specimens consisted of acicular ferrite, granular bainite, and secondary phases such as martensite and martensiteaustenite constituent. The volume fraction of secondary phases increased with increasing cooling rate, and the higher finish cooling temperature resulted in the reduction in volume fraction and grain size of secondary phases. According to the crystallographic orientation analysis data, the effective grain size and unit crack path decreased as fine acicular ferrites having a large amount of high-angle grain boundaries were homogeneously formed, thereby leading to the improvement of Charpy impact properties. The specimen fabricated with the higher cooling rate and lower finish cooling temperature had the highest upper shelf energy and the lowest energy transition temperature because it contained a large amount of fine secondary phases homogeneously distributed inside fine acicular ferrites, while its tensile properties well maintained.