Influence of austenitising temperature on kinetics of phase transformations in medium carbon TRIP steel

AbstractComprehensive, dilatometric studies of the kinetic transformations of undercooled austenite in medium carbon TRansformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel during cooling from the temperature range of 750–1030°C were carried out. Selection of austenitising temperatures was based on the knowledge of the critical temperatures. The influence of the austenitising temperature on the formation ranges of new phases and microstructural constituents during continuous cooling was determined. It was also shown that the annealing of the investigated steel at the lowest temperature resulted in the strongest lowering of Ms temperature as well as in the lowering hardenability. Based on the analysis of the stated relationships, modifications of the annealing, adapted to the investigated steel chemical composition, were proposed.