Development of Nanostructured Bainitic Steel by Utilizing the Two Steps Austempering Heat Ttreatment

Special mechanical properties of nano structure bainitic steel such as high tensile strength, hardness, toughness and low manufacturing cost have attracted considerable attention in the past few years. However, the main problem for this type of steels to be industrialized, long austempering process period which increases production costs. In this research, in order to accelerate the bainitic transformation, carbon concentration was decreased and two steps austempering process was employed to prevent the bainite laths thickening. Specimens were austenetized at 1000 ?C for 15 min and were kept in the salt bath between 1-12 hours at temperatures in the range of 250-300?C in one step or two step bainite transformation. Standard metallography, XRD and scanning electron microscopy techniques were utilized for the microstructural characterization and the tensile and hardness test were employed for mechanical properties evaluation. The obtained results show that two steps austempering process and lower carbon concentration lead to lower austempering period as well as formation of more stable retained austenite which results in higher mechanical properties.