EXPERIMENT NO.

7
HEAT TREATMENT OF STEEL
THEORY
The microstructure and resultant properties of steel are controlled by the composition
selected and the processing and heat treatment to which it is subjected. Heat treatment
generally consists of heating the cast or forged shape into the decomposition products:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Proeutectoid CARBIDE or FERRITE, depending on whether the carbon

content is more or less than the eutectoid composition for that alloy;
PEARLITE, which may be fine or coarse depending on the cooling rate;
BAINITE, which may also vary in scale; and
MARTENSITE.

Executive Summary:It is commonly believed that high alloy castings have inferior corrosion resistance to their
wrought counterparts as a result of the increased amount of micro segregation remaining in
the as-cast structure. Homogenization and dissolution heat treatments are often utilized to
reduce or eliminate the residual micro segregation and dissolve the secondary phases.
Detailed electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and light optical microscopy (LOM) were
utilized to correlate the amount of homogenization and dissolution present after various
thermal treatments with calculated values and with the resultant corrosion resistance of the
alloys. The influence of heat treatment time and temperature on the homogenization and
dissolution kinetics were investigated using stainless steel alloys CN3MN and CK3MCuN.
Autogenously welds were placed on the surface of the as-cast samples to determine the
significance of the structural scale. Volume fraction measurements and EPMA confirm that
enhanced homogenization and dissolution kinetics are achieved in the autogenously welds
when compared to the cast structures due to the reduced dendrite arm spacing (DAS). In
alloys, near-complete homogenization and dissolution is achieved in the autogenously welds
at 1150 C after only one hour due to the reduced DAS. The cast materials on the other hand,
require a four hour heat treatment at 1205 C to achieve comparable levels of
homogenization and dissolution. Finally, it was demonstrated that the corrosion resistance of
alloys CN3MN and CK3MCuN can be improved to match the corrosion resistance of their
wrought counterparts. The influence of heat treatment time and temperature on the impact
toughness and corrosion resistance of cast stainless steel alloys CF-3, CF-3M, CF-8, and CF8M was also investigated. The impact toughness increased with increasing temperature and
time due to a combination of spherodization and spherodization followed by dissolution of
the continuous ferrite network in the castings. Heat treatment was observed to increase
corrosion resistance in the CF-3-HF and CF-8-HF alloys, but corrosion testing in the other
alloys did not result in a clear trend being formed with respect to the heat treatment.
Corrosion began at the interface of the ferrite and austenite phases and continuously
progressed through the ferrite network.
OBJECTIVE

38

Determine the processing-microstructural relationship for the plain carbon steels 1045 and/or
1080.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1.

Each group will receive 5 samples.

2.

Heat all samples to 860C for 1 h. All the samples will be austenitized.

3.

Heat treat the specimens according to the schedule on page 46. Quench using
cold water, unless otherwise specified.

4.

Measure the hardness of each sample using the Rockwell C scale. Remove
any scale if necessary.

5.

Mount the specimens in bakelite.

6.

Polish the specimens as done in experiment 3. The only exception to the

procedure is that an automatic polisher may be used.

7.

Etch the specimens in NITAL etchant.

NITAL (X%)1
Composition:
Nitric Acid
X ml
Ethyl alcohol
100 ml
Where x is usually
1,2,3 or 5
A 1% solution will be used.
Method of use:
Immerse at room temperature, or swab with a cotton applicator.
Use:
Etches the grain boundaries of ferrite, and attacks grains except those with
100 planes parallel to the section surface. Reveals cementite mainly by
developing relief between cementite and the surrounding ferrite. Etches
untempered martensite well.

8.

Take photomicrographs of each specimen using the Leitz MM5 Metallograph.

Also take a digital photomicrograph.

9.

Take microhardness measurements of each sample using the Tukon

microhardness tester. It is possible to determine the microhardness of
individual phases.

Abstract:In this laboratory, the effects of heat treatments on aluminum alloys were investigated. The
aluminum used was A356 which is approximately 7 wt% silicon and less than 0.3 wt%

39

magnesium. Solution treatments (S.T.) and age treatments were the two heat treatments
studied. Each of these treatments was applied to a normal A356 alloy and samples with
titanium and boron grain refining additions. The grain refined sample was harder after
solution treatment. Upon age both samples increased in hardness and both refined
and unrefined samples yielded nearly the same hardness. Microstructure analysis showed
finer grains in the solution treated refined grain sample when compared to the unrefined
sample. After aging the microstructures were closer in grain size, but there were more fine
particles of silicon in the refined sample compared to larger particles in the unrefined sample
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Analyze the photomicrography, Rockwell and Tukon hardness measurements to identify the
microconstituents and phases present. Also relate the photomicrography and hardness
measurements to the heat treatment used. The attached TTT diagrams will be helpful in
explaining the results.
REFERENCES
1.

Samuels, L.E., Optical Microscopy of Carbon Steels, Metals Park, OH: ASM,
1980, p. 578 (see also pp.316-329 and 332-335).

2.

Askeland, D. R., The Science and Engineering of Materials, Boston, MA:

PWS Engineering, 1984, Chapters 11 and 13.

3.

Van Vlack, L.H., Elements of Materials Science and Engineering, 5th ed.,
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, pp. 402-415, 439445, 455-469.

4.

Callister, W.D., Materials Science and Engineering, An Introduction, New

York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1985, pp. 165-178, 195-218.

5.

Atlas of Isothermal Transformation Diagrams, Pittsburgh, PA: USS, 1951.

40

HEAT TREATMENT SCHEDULE

Austenitize all samples at 860C (1580F) for 1 hour.
Use stainless steel foil to prevent oxidation during the heat treating.
1045
Temperature
Sample
Time
#
(C/F)
(sec/min)
1
705/1301
20
2
705/1301
120/2
3
705/1301
1200/20
4
705/1301
3600/60
5
705/1301
7200/120
6
650/1202
150/2.5
7
550/1022
120/2
8
500/932
120/2
9
450/842
120/2
10
400/752
120/2
11
350/662
120/2
12
Furnace Cool
infinity
13
Quench in water
0/0
14
Quench in air (RT)
0/0
15
Quench in Oil (RT)
0/0
16
RT as received
0/0
17
700/1292
2
18
700/1292
5
19
700/1292
10
20
700/1292
20
21
700/1292
50
22
700/1292
120/2
23
700/1292
600/10
24
700/1292
1200/20
25
700/1292
3600/60
26
700/1292
7200/120
27
450/842
2
28
450/842
5
29
450/842
10
30
450/842
20
31
450/842
50
32
450/842
120/2
33
450/842
600/10
34
450/842
1200/20
35
450/842
3600/60
36
450/842
7200/120

41

Group to be chosen by
lab instructor

1080
Temperature
Sample
Time
#
(sec/min)
(C/F)
1
705/1301
20
2
705/1301
120/2
3
705/1301
1200/20
4
705/1301
3600/60
5
705/1301
7200/120
6
650/1202
150/2.5
7
550/1022
120/2
8
500/932
120/2
9
450/842
120/2
10
400/752
120/2
11
350/662
120/2
12
Furnace Cool
infinity
13
Quench in water
0/0
14
Quench in air (RT)
0/0
15
Quench in Oil (RT)
0/0
16
RT as received
0/0
17
700/1292
2
18
700/1292
5
19
700/1292
10
20
700/1292
20
21
700/1292
50
22
700/1292
120/2
23
700/1292
600/10
24
700/1292
1200/20
25
700/1292
3600/60
26
700/1292
7200/120
27
450/842
2
28
450/842
5
29
450/842
10
30
450/842
20
31
450/842
50
32
450/842
120/2
33
450/842
600/10
34
450/842
1200/20
35
450/842
3600/60
36
450/842
7200/120

42

Group to be chosen by lab

instructor

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50