Influence of Particle Size Control of Cementite on Hardness of GCr15 Bearing Steel

doi:10.11901/1005.3093.2024.424

Chinese Journal of Materials Research

2025, Vol. 39

Issue (7): 521-532 DOI: 10.11901/1005.3093.2024.424

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Influence of Particle Size Control of Cementite on Hardness of GCr15 Bearing Steel

LIU Jing¹, LI Yunjie¹, QIN Yu²(

), LI Linlin¹(

)

^1.State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
^2.Institute of Machinery Manufacturing Technology, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China

Cite this article:

LIU Jing, LI Yunjie, QIN Yu, LI Linlin. Influence of Particle Size Control of Cementite on Hardness of GCr15 Bearing Steel. Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2025, 39(7): 521-532.

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Abstract

By spheroiding the GCr15 bearing steel with quenching, high-temperature tempering, secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering, the associated evolution mechanism of the microstructure, especially the coarsening of carbides, and its correlation with hardness was investigated here. The results show that after austenitization at 930 ^oC followed by water/oil quenching and subsequent high-temperature tempering at 700 ^oC for spheroidization, the cementite particulates continuously coarsened and their size became more uniform as the time of high-temperature tempering time (6, 12, 24, 48 h) increased. The coarsening of spheroidal cementite followed the Ostwald ripening theory. After the secondary quenching (holding at 840 ^oC for 10 min) and low-temperature tempering (holding at 160 ^oC for 2 h), part of the cementite dissolved and its content decreased. Due to the dissolving and coarsening of cementite during the austenitization process in the two-phase region, the average size of the cementite was increased compared to that just after the spheroiding. The simple and efficient quenching and high-temperature tempering processes have achieved spheroidization and size control of the cementite. Longer high-temperature tempering time during the spheroidization process resulted in more large cementite particles, nevertheless, more of which could retain for a longer period during the secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering process. This led to a larger average size of the cementite, and at the same time, the lower carbon content in the austenite made it easier to transform into martensite. The increase of carbide size and spacing weakened the hardening effect, while the increase in martensite content could alleviate the decrease in hardness. The hardness of the spheroidized structure and of the secondary quenching and tempering structure basically met the hardness requirements of GCr15 bearing steel. These research can provide a credible reference for the design of the microstructure and properties, as well as the process design of GCr15 bearing steel.

Key words: metallic materials GCr15 bearing steel cementite spheroidization quenching tempering

Received: 15 October 2024

ZTFLH:

TG161

Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(52101158);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52371101)

Corresponding Authors: QIN Yu, Tel: (0816)2490543, E-mail: yuqin0081@163.com;
LI Linlin, Tel: (024)83686917, E-mail: lill@ral.neu.edu.cn

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https://www.cjmr.org/EN/10.11901/1005.3093.2024.424 OR https://www.cjmr.org/EN/Y2025/V39/I7/521

Table 1 Q-T-(Q)-(T) heat treatment procedure

Fig.1 Microstructure of hot forged GCr15 bearing steel detected by OM (a) and SEM (b)

Fig.2 SEM images of GCr15 bearing steel after first quenching and high-temperature tempering at 700 ^oC for SP1 (a), SP2 (b), SP3 (c) and SP4 (d)

Fig.3 XRD patterns of GCr15 bearing steel after first quenching and high-temperature tempering at 700 ^oC for different time

Fig.4 Statistical diagram of spherical cementite particle size of GCr15 bearing steel after first quenching and high-temperature tempering at 700 ^oC for SP1 (a), SP2 (b), SP3 (c), and SP4 (d)

Fig.5 SEM images of GCr15 bearing steel after secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering treatment(a) QT1, (b) QT2, (c) QT3, (d) QT4

Fig.6 XRD patterns of GCr15 bearing steel after secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering treatment

Table 2 Content of each phase of GCr15 bearing steel after secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering treatment (mass fraction, %)

Fig.7 Statistical diagram of spherical cementite particle size of GCr15 bearing steel after secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering treatment (a) QT1, (b) QT2, (c) QT3, (d) QT4

Fig.8 EBSD phase map of GCr15 bearing steel after first quenching and high-temperature tempering at 700 ^oC for SP1 (a) and SP4 (b)

Fig.9 Elemental mapping of GCr15 bearing steel after secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering treatment (a-c) QT1, (d-f) QT4

Fig.10 Vickers hardness of GCr15 bearing steel under different heat treatment states (a) first quenching and high-temperature tempering, (b) secondary quenching and low-temperature tempering

Fig.11 Fit curve between the cubic of the average radius of spherical cementite and the high-temperature tempering time

Fig.12 Comparison of mean particle size of GCr15 bearing steel after different heat treatments

Fig.13 Hardness variation with martensite content and cementite size

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