• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.781-789
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• 2019

The prediction of Jominy hardness curves and the effect of alloying elements on the hardenability of boron steels (19 different steels) are investigated using multiple regression analysis. To evaluate the hardenability of boron steels, Jominy end quenching tests are performed. Regardless of the alloy type, lath martensite structure is observed at the quenching end, and ferrite and pearlite structures are detected in the core. Some bainite microstructure also appears in areas where hardness is sharply reduced. Through multiple regression analysis method, the average multiplying factor (regression coefficient) for each alloying element is derived. As a result, B is found to be 6308.6, C is 71.5, Si is 59.4, Mn is 25.5, Ti is 13.8, and Cr is 24.5. The valid concentration ranges of the main alloying elements are 19 ppm < B < 28 ppm, 0.17 < C < 0.27 wt%, 0.19 < Si < 0.30 wt%, 0.75 < Mn < 1.15 wt%, 0.15 < Cr < 0.82 wt%, and 3 < N < 7 ppm. It is possible to predict changes of hardenability and hardness curves based on the above method. In the validation results of the multiple regression analysis, it is confirmed that the measured hardness values are within the error range of the predicted curves, regardless of alloy type.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2009

Die steel for plastic molding were used as mold material of automobile parts and electronic component industry. The material of this paper has superior to mechanical properties, such as repair weldability, corrosion resistance and high temperature strength, required mold parts for semitransparent. Laser-induced surface hardening technology is widely adopted to improver fatigue life and wear resistance via localized hardening at the surface of mold parts. The objective of this research work is to investigate on the characteristics of surface hardening of the laser process parameters, such as beam travel speed, laser power and defocsued spot position, for the case of die steel for plastic molding. Lens for surface hardening of large area is plano-convex type with elliptical profile to maintain uniform laser irradiation. According to the experimental results, large size of hardened layer at the surface of die steel for plastic molding was achieved, and microstructure of this layer was lath martensite. Optimal surface status and mechanical property of hardened layer could be obtained at 1095Watt, $0.25{\sim}0.3m/min$, 0mm (focal length: 232mm) for laser power, beam travel speed, and focal position. Where, heat input was $0.793{\times}10^{3}J/cm^2$, and width of hardened layer was 27.58mm.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2015

Effects of B and Cu additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength bainitic steels were investigated in this study. Six kinds of high-strength bainitic steels with different B and Cu contents were fabricated by thermo-mechanical control process composed of controlled rolling and accelerated cooling. The microstructures of the steels were analyzed using optical and transmission microscopy, and the tensile and impact tests were conducted on them in order to investigate the correlation of microstructure with mechanical properties. Depending on the addition of B and Cu, various low-temperature transformation products such as GB (granular bainite), DUB (degenerated upper bainite), LB (lower bainite), and LM (lath martensite) were formed in the steels. The addition of B and Cu increased the yield and tensile strengths because of improved hardenability and solid solution strengthening, but decreased the ductility and low-temperature toughness. The steels containing both B and Cu had a very high strength above 1.0 GPa, but showed a worse low-temperature toughness of higher DBTT (ductile-to-brittle transition temperature) and lower absorbed energy. On the other hand, the steels having GB and DUB showed a good combination of tensile and impact properties in terms of strength, ductility, yield ratio, absorbed energy, and DBTT.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.70-70
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• 2010

In the present study, to estimate the mechanical properties of 800 MPa grade weld metal, welding was carried out using 800 and 600 MPa grade flux cored arc welding (FCAW) consumable and characteristics of the weld metals were investigated. The chemical composition of weld metals was investigated by an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) method. The microstructure of weld metals was analyzed by optical microscopy (OM) and secondary electron microscopy (SEM). The compositions and sizes of inclusions which are the dominant factors for the nuclei of acicular ferrite were analyzed by an transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, mechanical properties of the weld metals were evaluated through tensile tests and charpy impact tests. Mostly the acicular ferrite phase which has high strength and toughness was observed. The 600 MPa grade weld metal was consisted of 75% acicular ferrite and 25% ferrite which was formed at high temperature (grain boundary ferrite, widmanstatten ferrite, polygonal ferrite). However, the 800 MPa grade weld metal was composed of about 73% acicular ferrite and 27% low temperature phase (bainite, martensite). Toughness was considerably decreased due to the increase of tensile strength (from 600 MPa to 800 MPa). The sizes of inclusions which were observed in both weld metal were $0.4{\sim}0.8\;{\mu}m$, it is effective size to form acicular ferrite.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.513-518
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• 2012

Recently, automobile parts have been required to have high strength and toughness to allow for weight lightening or improved stability. But, traditional micro-alloyed steel cannot be applied in automobile parts. In this study, we considered the influence of quenching temperature and cooling rate for specimens fabricated by vacuum induction furnace. Directly quenched micro-alloyed steel for hot forging can be controlled according to its micro structure and the heat-treatment process. Low carbon steel, as well as alloying elements for improvement of strength and toughness, was used to obtain optimized conditions. After hot forging at $1,200^{\circ}C$, the ideal mechanical properties (tensile strength ${\geq}$ 1,000 MPa, Charpy impact value ${\geq}\;100\;J/cm^2$) can be achieved by using optimized conditions (quenching temperature : 925 to $1,050^{\circ}C$, cooling rate : ${\geq}\;5^{\circ}C/sec$). The difference of impact value according to cooling rate can be influenced by the microstructure. A fine lath martensite micro structure is formed at a cooling rate of over $5^{\circ}C/sec$. On the other hand, the second phase of the M-A constituent microstructure is the cause of crack initiation under the cooling rate of $5^{\circ}C/sec$.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1997

The variation of the mechanical properties and the formation of retained austenite with heat treatment conditions in austempered Si bearing carbon steels has been investigated. In the case of a steel containing 0.35C-1.48Si-0.95Mn, it has been found that a feather shape bainite structure of lath are obtained under a isothermal treated condition at just below the Ms temperature, and the martensite, bainitic ferrite and retained austenite of second phase particles on the ferrite matrix for a isothermal treated steels after intercritical annealing are precipitated in a linked shape. The retained austenite with $2{\mu}m$ size induced as TRIP is found to increase with increasing the formation rate of retained austenite for the intercritical annealing and high Si containing steels. The tensile strength is increased as austempering temperature increases in all isothermal treatment temperature, whereas the elongation is shown to roughly decrease as the tensile strength increases. The values of tensile strength-elongation balance have showed a marked dependence upon the elongation rather than the tensile stregth, and their values are increased for high Si containing steels and intercritical annealing condition. The most optimum result has been shown to be the tensile stregth-elongation balance of $2882.4kgf/mm^2.%$ and the elongation of 33.3% for a "B" steel in the heat treating temperature range of $780{\sim}370^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.9
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• pp.533-541
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• 2009

Materials used for a reactor pressure vessel(RPV) are required high strength and toughness, which determine the safety margin and life of a reactor. Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel shows better mechanical properties than existing RPV steels due to higher Ni and Cr contents compared to the existing RPV steels. The present study focuses on effects of Ni, Cr contents on the cleavage fracture toughness of Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steels in the transition temperature region. The fracture toughness was characterized by a 3-point bend test of precracked Charpy V-notch(PCVN) specimens based on ASTM E1921-08. The test results indicated that the fracture toughness was considerably improved with an increase of Ni and Cr contents. Especially, control of Cr content was more effective in improving fracture toughness than manipulating Ni content, though Charpy impact toughness was changed more extensively by adjusting Ni content. These differences between changes in the fracture toughness and that in the impact toughness were derived from microstructural features, such as martensite lath size and carbide precipitation behavior.