China Foundry
Title: Effects of Al and C content on κ-carbide precipitation and strengthening in high-Mn low-density steels: A quantitative study
Author: Yu-xiang Liu1, Tao Xu1, *Jian-lei Zhang1, 2, Feng-hui An3, Gang Chen4, **Chang-jiang Song1, and Qi-jie Zhai1
Address: 1. Center for Advanced Solidification Technology (CAST), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; 2. Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Integrated Circuits and Advanced Display Materials, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; 3. Jiujiang Engineering Research Center of Advanced Welding, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332005, Jiangxi, China; 4. Ningbo Branch of Chinese Academy of Ordnance Science, Ningbo 315103, Zhejiang, China
Key words: low-density steel; κ-carbide; Al and C content; precipitation strengthening
CLC Nmuber: TG142.3
Document Code: A
Article ID: 1672-6421(2025)04-480-13
Abstract:
Fe-28Mn-(10-12)Al-(0.8-1.4)C (wt.%) steels were designed to investigate the influence of varying Al and C content on precipitation behavior of κ-carbide and its contribution to the strength of high-Mn low-density steels. Results reveal that both Al and C elements promote κ-carbide precipitation, with C having a more pronounced effect. In near-rapidly solidified 10Al steel strips, increasing C content from 0.8wt.% to 1.4wt.% raises the κ-carbide size from 9.6 nm to 38.2 nm, accompanied by volume fraction increase from 10.2vol.% to 29.8vol.%. In comparison, the average size and volume fraction of κ-carbides in 12Al0.8C steel are only 11.4 nm and 17.8vol.%, respectively. Higher Al and C content reduces the lattice mismatch between austenite and κ-carbides, thus promoting nucleation of κ-carbides. Notably, the increase in C content results in a greater reduction in the Gibbs free energy of κ-carbide, leading to a stronger driving force for κ-carbide formation. Consequently, as the C content increases from 0.8wt.% to 1.4wt.%, the interaction between κ-carbides and dislocations transforms from particle cutting to bypassing, and the maximum precipitation strengthening of κ-carbides reaches 583 MPa. The construction of the relationship between Al and C content and κ-carbide precipitation in this study would provide valuable insights for alloy design of high-Mn steels.