Effects of cooling method after intercritical heat treatment on microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of as-cast high-strength low-alloy steel

The effect of cooling method after intercritical heat treatment on the microstructures and mechanical properties of as-cast steel produced by electroslag casting was investigated. The microstructure characteristics were analyzed by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD). The mechanical performance was evaluated by tensile testing at ambient temperature and Charp V-notch impact tests at various temperatures (−40 °C, −20 °C, 20 °C). The tensile and impact fracture micromechanisms were discussed in details. The results of microstructure investigation indicated that water cooling after intercritical heat treatment led to a mixed microstructure of ferrite and tempered martensite, while a composite microstructure of ferrite and tempered bainite was obtained after air cooling. The carbides of Cr, Mo and Nb in matrix after water quenching were finer than the ones after air cooling. Compared with water cooling, a good balance of strength and toughness was obtained after air cooling. The crack propagation path in the steel after water cooling can propagate along the long axis direction of ferrite bands, directly across the intersecting banded ferrite and martensite as well as along the interfaces between ferrite and martensite. However, the crack propagation path in the steel after air cooling depends on the shape, size and distribution of M/A islands.