Influence of High-pressure Quenching on the Microstructure, Martensite Transformation, and Mechanical Properties of 0.2 Mass% C Steel

Low-carbon steel (0.2 mass%) samples were austenitized and quenched at a cooling rate of 10°C/s under GPa level high pressure. The morphology, lattice constant, and order degree of C atom distribution of high-pressure quenching martensite were characterised and analyzed by TEM, EBSD, XRD, and Mössbauer. Besides, the transformation characteristics and strengthening mechanisms were discussed. The results show that the microstructure of 0.2 mass% C steel is fine hierarchical lath martensite with almost no residual austenite, and its laths mostly follow {112} <111> twin relationship, indicating the self-accommodation effect among martensite variants. Compared to atmospheric pressure, the order degree of carbon atom distribution increases in high-pressure quenched martensite, meanwhile the tetragonality (c/a) of martensite lattice increases from 1.009 at atmospheric pressure to 1.012 at 4 GPa. The significant promotion of hardness in 0.2 mass% C steel subjected to high-pressure treatment can be ascribed to a large number of dislocations in the structure, grain refinement strengthening caused by twin boundary, and solution strengthening caused by large distortion due to the increase of the order degree for C atom distribution and the decrease of lattice constant. These findings provide new insights into the carbon steel martensite transformation mechanism, and a new martensite transformation technique can be developed.