Effect of Austenite Deformation on Continuous Cooling Transformation Microstructures for 22CrSH Gear Steel Original Research Article

The effect of compressive deformation of austenite on continuous cooling transformation microstructures for 22CrSH gear steel has been investigated using a Gleeble 1500 thermal simulator. The experimental results show that the deformation of austenite promotes the formation of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite, and leads to the increase of critical cooling rate of proeutectoid ferrite plus pearlite microstructure. The grain boundary allotriomorphic ferrite occupies the austenite grain surfaces when the prior deformation takes place or the cooling rate is decreased, which causes a transition from bainite to acicular ferrite. The deformation enhances the stability of transformation from austenite to acicular ferrite, which results in an increase of M/A constituent.