Effect of Isothermal Quenching Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Bainite/Martensite Multi-phase 42CrMo Steel

doi:10.11901/1005.3093.2025.031

Chinese Journal of Materials Research

2025, Vol. 39

Issue (11): 837-844 DOI: 10.11901/1005.3093.2025.031

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Effect of Isothermal Quenching Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Bainite/Martensite Multi-phase 42CrMo Steel

JIANG Teng¹^,², LI Xing²(

), LIU Hanqiang², CUI Shan¹, LIU Hongliang³, LIU Jun³, LUAN Yikun², JIANG Zhouhua¹

^1.School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
^2.Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
^3.Benxi Iron and Steel Group Co. , Ltd. Technical Center, Benxi 117000, China

Cite this article:

JIANG Teng, LI Xing, LIU Hanqiang, CUI Shan, LIU Hongliang, LIU Jun, LUAN Yikun, JIANG Zhouhua. Effect of Isothermal Quenching Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Bainite/Martensite Multi-phase 42CrMo Steel. Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2025, 39(11): 837-844.

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Abstract

The effect of isothermal quenching temperatures below M_s point on the microstructure and mechanical properties of bainite/martensite multi-phase 42CrMo steel was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal expansion analyzer and mechanical property tester. The results show that the microstructure of 42CrMo steel is composed of bainite and martensite phase after isothermal quenching at 250 ^oC, 280 ^oC and 310 ^oC, correspondingly, the quenched 42CrMo steels were named as 250#, 280# and 310# steel respectively. With the increasing isothermal quenching temperature, the phase transformation rate of bainite is enhanced, and bainite volume fraction increases from 18% to 63%. The mode of impact fracture transforms from brittle cleavage fracture to mixed fracture, while the impact toughness is significantly improved. The bainite/martensite multi-phase microstructure of 250# and 280# steels is fine. However, bainite and martensite laths of 310# coarsens, and large-sized martensite block appears, so that its tensile strength decreases. The total grain boundary length of 280# is 1.65 times that of 250#, and 2.43 times that of 310# respectively. The significantly increased grain boundary density makes 280# possess the highest yield strength. After being isothermally hold at 280 ^oC for 1.5 h then quenched, the yield strength and tensile strength of 42CrMo steel reach 1399 MPa and 1708 MPa, respectively, and the elongation and impact absorption energy are 12.3% and 51.6 J, respectively. Compared with 310# and 250#, the 280# steel has better overall mechanical properties.

Key words: metallic materials isothermal quenching microstructure mechanical properties bainite

Received: 16 January 2025

ZTFLH:

TG142

Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(52404354)

Corresponding Authors: LI Xing, Tel: 13840529408, E-mail: xingli@imr.ac.cn

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	JIANG Teng
	LI Xing
	LIU Hanqiang
	CUI Shan
	LIU Hongliang
	LIU Jun
	LUAN Yikun
	JIANG Zhouhua

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https://www.cjmr.org/EN/10.11901/1005.3093.2025.031 OR https://www.cjmr.org/EN/Y2025/V39/I11/837

Table 1 Chemical composition of 42CrMo steel (mass fraction, %)

Fig.1 Phase transformation expansion curve of 42CrMo

Fig.2 Isothermal quenching heat treatment process

Fig.3 Microstructure of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature (a) 250#; (b) 280#; (c) 310#

Fig.4 EBSD diagram of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature (a) 250#; (b) 280#; (c) 310#; (d) boundary length

Table 2 Lath size of samples after isothermal quenching at different temperature

Fig.5 XRD pattern (a) and phase volume fraction (b) of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature

Fig.6 Thermal expansion curves of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature (a) 250#; (b) 280 #; (c) 310 #

Fig.7 Expansion-time curves of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature

Fig.8 Engineering stress-strain curves (a) and U-shaped notch impact absorption energy (b) of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature

Table 3 Mechanical properties of tested steel after isothermal quenching at different temperature

Fig.9 Macroscopic morphology of tensile fracture (a) 250#; (b) 280#; (c) 310#

Fig.10 Morphology of impact fracture (a) 250#; (b) 280#; (c)310#

Fig.11 EBSD diagram of secondary cracks at the impact fracture (a) 250#; (b) 280#; (c) 310#

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