Electron backscattering diffraction study of acicular ferrite, bainite, and martensite steel microstructures

This study deals with acicular ferrite, bainite, and martensite microstructures observed in three low alloy steels. Electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) was used to assess crystallographic features of these microstructures. In each area studied by EBSD mapping, 'crystallographic packets' defined as clusters of points sharing the same crystallographic orientation were compared with 'morphological packets' observed in the corresponding light micrograph. Microtexture studies suggested that acicular ferrite and upper bainite grow with Nishiyama– Wassermann relationships with the parent austenite phase, whereas lower bainite and martensite consist of highly intricate packets having Kurdjumov–Sachs relationships with the parent phase. In all cases three highly misoriented texture components were found within each former austenite grain. Electron backscattering diffraction also gave information about the cleavage and intergranular reverse temper embrittlement fracture mechanisms of these steels. In conclusion, it is shown that EBSD is a powerful tool for studying phase transformation and fracture mechanisms in steels on a microscopic scale.