Effect of direct and reheated quenching on microstructure and mechanical properties of CLAM steels

Direct and reheated quenching on microstructural mechanical properties of China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel was investigated. Three direct quenching and tempering (DQ&T) CLAM steels were rolled at the same finish rolling temperature with different quenching rate, and their microstructures and mechanical properties were compared with those of a reheated quenching and tempering (RQ&T) CLAM steel. DQ&T process was proven to strengthen the tensile property but lower the toughness compared to RQ&T process due to the finer austenite grain size formed under RQ&T process. Tensile property first increased with quenching rate and then decreased. The reason for this was discussed.