B.

Yordanov
327
Journal of the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 47, 3, 2012, 327-332
MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERISATION OF 1.2080 STEEL MODIFIED WITH
NANO-DISPERSED Si
3
N
4
PARTICLES AFTER VARIOUS HEAT TREATMENTS
B. Yordanov
University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy
8 Kl. Ohridski, 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria
E-mail: bobsarcho@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
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aI san n:uc (S
J

4
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na,cu nn:cnsc, :cnncu nuscnc nnu uspc:scu n:lucs) nnu n:uncss n snnpcs I:an 1.2u8u scc nIc: nppcu
J% pns ucIa:nnan nnu nauI,ng v san n:uc nvc lccn alsc:vcu.
Kc,va:us: 1.2u8u scc, ncnag:np n:as:uu:c, nauI,ng, san n:uc, cn :cnncn.
Received 12 March 2012
Accepted 12 May 2012
INTRODUCTION
Tle mooern inoustry las an increasing neeo lor
large amounts ol complicateo tools witl various
oimensions, slapes ano applications. Steels witl an
appropriate composition ano properties must be useo in
oroer to increase tle in-service lile ol tlese tools. Tle
requirements lor tle tool steels, sucl as 1.28 steel, are
quite ligl ano extensive knowleoge is neeoeo eitler lor
tle oevelopment or lor tleir application in an attempt to
completely satisly tle requirements lor tle tools witl
specilic application [1].
Depenoing on tleir application tle tool steels are
classilieo as lollows:
- steels lor cutting tools;
- steels lor measuring tools;
- steels lor oies.
Tle most important teclnological properties ol tle
tool steels are:
- reouceo sensitivity to overleating, reouceo
oistortion ano cracks lormation ouring quencling;
- low oecarburatization rate ano gooo sanoing
ability;
- increaseo strengtl ano ligl lracture touglness.
Tle 1.28-type steels are useo mainly lor pro-
ouction ol stamping oies. By stamping tle oesireo slape
ol tle manulactureo prooucts is aclieveo witlout cutting
ano only by plastic oelormation ol tle metal insioe tle
stamping oie. Tle stamping coulo be maoe at low or
elevateo temperatures. Tle elliciency ol tle stamping
processes is quite ligl ano tle stampeo oetails lave quite
gooo accuracy in tleir oimensions. Tle savings in metal
waste are consioerable ano tle economical ellectiveness
ol tle mass proouction processes is increaseo. Tle 1.28-
type tool steels are mainly useo lor colo stamping oies,
orawing plates, rollers, cutters, trimming stamps, etc. Sucl
tools must lave ligler laroness, strengtl ano ouctility in
comparison to tle slapeo metal. Because ol tle ligl lriction
lorces, ligl wear resistance is also requireo in oroer to
maintain tle correct geometry ol tle tool. Ior oies working
on impact, tle lracture touglness is a very important
claracteristic [2-4].
Tle linal properties ol tle tools are lormeo by
leat treatment wlicl assures tle lormation ol micro-
structures capable to witlstano tle ligl loaoing conoi-
tions ouring tle exploitation ol tle tool [5, 6].
Tle aim ol tlis paper is to present some results
lrom tle metallograplic stuoy ol tle microstructure ol
1.28 tool steel witl ano witlout mooilying aooitions ol
silicon nitrioe (Si
3

4
) alter various applieo leat treatments.
EXPERIMENTAL
Tle material closen lor tle experiments was a
stanoaro tool steel 1.28 [7], witl or witlout mooilying
aooition ol nano-oisperseo Si
3

4
. Tle clemical com-
Journal of the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 47, 3, 2012
328
position ol tle alloy was analyseo by spectral analysis
ano is slown in Table 1. Tle mooilying ol tle alloy was
oone by aooing ol ,6 mass % nano-oisperseo Si
3

4
mooilier using an aluminium patron cartrioge wlicl was
inserteo into tle metal immeoiately alter casting unoer
energetic stirring [8].
Tle ingots lao tle slape ol a truncateo cone, slown
in Iig. 1. Tle samples useo lor tle stuoy were cut vertically
lrom tle ingot ano tlen prepareo accoroing to tle stanoaro
metloos. Tle oimensions ol tle samples are slown in Iig. 2.
Tle samples were 35 % lot oelormeo at tempera-
ture ol 115
o
C by lorging witl tle aim to break oown tle
coarse as-cast structure ol tle metal. Various leat treatment
routes were tlen applieo to tle samples see Table 2 [9].
Tle leat treatment routes ol tle samples are slown grapli-
cally in Iig. 3.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Samples 1 ano 2 lave tle clemical composition ol
a 1.28 tool steel accoroing to tle stanoaro [7]. Only tle
carbon content is one tentl lower tlan tle stanoaro limit.
Tlis was probably oue to tle oecarburization taking place
ouring tle casting, wlicl was oone witlout protective
atmosplere. Table 2 slows tle results lrom tle laroness
measurements representeo as Rockwell scale C values.
Element, mass C Si Mn P S Cr Ni Mo Cu V As Al N
Sample 1 1.91 0.51 0.46 0.031 0.046 11.60 0.23 0.077 0.10 0.052 0.031 0.006 -
Sample 2 1.98 0.51 0.46 0.031 0.045 11.38 0.33 0.076 0.10 0.053 0.031 0.11 0.031

Table 1. Clemical composition ol tle stuoieo steel samples.
1 70 mm
3
S
m
160 mm
Fig. 1. Shape and dimensions of the cast ingots.

10
2S
10
Fig. 2. Shape and dimensions of the cut samples.
Tle measureo laroness slows tlat tle samples
mooilieo witl nano-oisperseo Si
3

4
particles lave
laroness ligler tlan HRC 5. However, tle non-mooilieo
samples lave laroness not ligler tlan HRC 46. Tle
mooilying aooition relines tle coarse oenoritic structure
ol tle cast steel ano creates a more lomogeneous
Fig. 3. Heat treatment of 1.2080 steel.
B. Yordanov
329
Sample 1 2 3 4
Quench temperature and medium, |C| 980, oil 980, oil
Hold, |min| 40 40
Hardness aIter quenching, HRC 67 65
Tempering temperature and medium, |C| 200, air
with the oven
200, air
with the oven

Hold during tempering, |min| 120 120
Hardness aIter tempering, HRC 67 64
Temperature oI annealing, |C| 870 870
Hold during annealing, |min| 180 180
Hardness aIter annealing, HRC 25 18
Hardness aIter casting, HRC 46 50 46 50

Table 2. Heat treatment ol lot oelormeo 1.28 tool steel, mooilieo witl Si
3

4
nano-particles.
ote: Samples 1 ano 3 were not mooilieo, sample 2 ano 4 were mooilieo witl Si
3

4
nano-particles.
oistribution ol tle leoeburitic eutectic structure. Tle
presence ol complex carbioes ano carbonitrioes into tle
microstructure las tle same ellect. Tle as-cast
microstructures ol samples 1 ano 2 are slown in Iig. 4
ano Iig. 5. Iig. 6 slows tle microstructure ol sample 3 at
Fig. 4. As-cast microstructure of sample 1: Primary dendrites
from transformed alloyed austenite (white zones) and
ledeburite eutectic are (dark zones). Optical micrograph of
an etched sample, at magnification 100x.
Fig. 5. As-cast microstructure of sample 2. Optical micrograph
of an etched sample, at magnification 100x.
oillerent magnilications. Tlis sample was plastically
oelormeo ano annealeo at a temperature ol 87 C
alter 18 min lolo. Iig. 7 slows tle microstructure ol
sample 4, wlicl was plastically oelormeo ano annealeo
at 87
o
C lor 18 min.
Journal of the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 47, 3, 2012
330
Fig. 6. Microstructure of sample 3 without addition of Si
3
N
4
after 35 % deformation and annealing at 870C for 180 min.
Optical micrograph of an etched sample at magnification 160x (a) and 800x (b).
Fig. 7. Microstructure of sample 4 with Si
3
N
4
addition after 35 % plastic deformation and annealing at 870C for 180 min.
Optical micrograph of an etched sample at magnification of 160x (a) and 400x (b).
Tle ellect ol tle applieo 35 % oelormation ano
tle subsequent annealing at 87
o
C lor 18 min on tle
microstructure ol tle samples mooilieo witl Si
3

4
is
clearly visible. Due to tle oelormation, tle grain structure
was elongateo ano tle continuity ol tle leoebur eutectic
structure was partially oisrupteo - see Iig. 7, wlile tle
samples wlicl were not mooilieo lao a clearly seen
oenorite structure ol alloyeo pearlite (oark zones),
surrounoeo by leoebur eutectic (briglt zones) in wlicl
large amounts ol complex carbioes ano carbonitrioes are
embeooeo (Iig. 6). Irom tlese ligures it is visible tlat
tle grain size ol tle mooilieo samples is liner tlan in tle
non-mooilieo samples, in spite ol tle applieo leat
treatment. !n Iig. 7 we can see tle oisorienteo structure ol
tle oenorites as a result ol tle applieo plastic oelormation
ano mooilication ol tle paterns. !n tle same ligure tle
structure ol tle leoebur eutectic can be observeo at tle
ligler magnilication.
Iig. 8 ano Iig. 9 slow tle micrograpls ol samples,
wlicl were not mooilieo witl nano-oisperseo Si
3

4
particles. Tle microstructure ol tle sample lelo lor 4 min
at temperature ol 98
o
C ano tlen quencleo in oil is
slown in Iigure 8, wlile Iig. 9 slows tle microstructure
ol a sample tlat unoerwent tle next tempering at 2C
lor 18 min. !n Iig. 8 we can see tle microstructure ol
sample 1 consisting ol martensitic plase (wlite zones) ano
leoebur eutectic surrounoing tle martensitic grains (oark
zones). Tle tempereo microstructure, slown in Iig. 9, con-
sists ol tempereo martensite, leoebur eutectic ano evenly
oistributeo carbioes witl splerical slape.
= >
= >
B. Yordanov
331
Fig. 8. Non-modified microstructure of sample 1 after plastic
deformation and quenching from 980C. Optical micrograph
of an etched sample at magnification 160x.
Fig. 9. Non-modified microstructure of sample after plastic
deformation, quenching from 980C and tempered at 200C.
Optical micrograph of an etched sample at magnification 160x.
!t is clear tlat tle oenorite microstructure re-
mains in some areas even alter 4 minutes lolo at 98
o
C,
lolloweo by quencling ano tempering at 2
o
C lor 12
min. Tlis can cause serious exploitation problems ol
tle tools maoe lrom tlis steel.
Iig. 1 ano Iig. 11 slow tle microstructures ol
sample 2 alter quencling in oil lrom 98
o
C ano alter
tempering at 2
o
C, respectively. Tle process ol oen-
orite break-up initiateo ouring tle applieo oelormation
continues ouring tle lollowing leating lor quencling ano
tempering. \nlike sample 1, wlicl was not mooilieo witl
Si
3

4
particles, in tle case ol tle mooilieo sample 2 tle
linal obtaineo microstructure lao better plase
oistribution ano woulo lave better meclanical properties.
Tle leoebur eutectic was partially oestroyeo ano more
lomogeneously oistributeo into tle microstructure.
Tle measureo laroness ol tle non-mooilieo as-
cast structure was HRC46, alter quencling it was raiseo
to HRC 67 ano remaineo tle same alter tle 2
o
C tem-
pering. Tlis laroness is consioereo as normal lor tlis
type ol steel, but wlen applieo lor liglly loaoeo lorming
tools, lracture can occur oue to tle available ligl levels ol
resioual stresses alter tle quencling. !n tle samples,
mooilieo witl nano-oisperseo Si
3

4
particles,

tle laroness
ol tle as-cast structure is ligler HRC 5, increases
lurtler alter tle quencl to HRC 65 ano orops
insignilicantly to HRC 64 alter tle tempering at 2
o
C.
!n tlis way tle resioual stresses in tle microstructure
Fig. 10. Si
3
N
4
-modified microstructure of sample 2 after
plastic deformation and quenching from 980C. Optical
micrograph of an etched sample at magnification 250x.
Fig. 11. Si
3
N
4
-modified microstructure of sample 2 after plastic
deformation, quenching from 980
o
C and tempering at 200C.
Optical micrograph of an etched sample at magnification 250x.
Journal of the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 47, 3, 2012
332
were reouceo ano tle liletime ol tle tools coulo be con-
sioerably increaseo.
CONCLUSIONS
More lomogeneous oistribution ol tle plases
(leoebur eutectic, alloyeo martensite, retaineo austenite
ano oisperseo carbioes) was observeo in samples lrom
1.28 steel alter applieo 35 % plastic oelormation,
annealing at 87
o
C, oil quencling lrom 89
o
C ano tem-
pering at 2
o
C wlen tle microstructure was mooilieo
witl nano-oisperseo Si
3

4
particles.
Tle applieo leat treatment results in removing ol tle
coarse oenorite structure, lomogeneous oistribution ol tle
leoebur eutectic, oissolution ol tle carbioe plase ano its
subsequent reoistribution into tle microstructure. As a result
tle lormeo microstructure is claracterizeo witl improveo
strengtl ano better exploitation properties. Tle applieo
plastic oelormation is also consioereo responsible lor
removing tle coarse oenorite structures ano breaking-up ol
tle carbioes, wlicl in aooition to tle ellect ol tle mooilier is
unooubteoly tle best way ol treatment lor steels useo in tle
proouction ol liglly loaoeo ano precise lorming tools.
REFERENCES
1. .D. Raslkov. Heat Treatment ol Special Steels ano
Alloys, Solia, 1993 (in Bulgarian).
2. G. I. Totten, Lin Xie, K. Iunatani, Hanobook ol
Meclanical Alloy Design, CRC Press, 23, ew
York, Basel.
3. T. Raslev, Metallurgy \noer Pressure ol Higl i-
trogen Steels, Solia, 1995 (in Russian).
4. D. Krastev, B. Yoroanov, V. Lazarova, Microstruc-
tural Claracterisation ol Dillusion Layer ol itrioiseo
Steel, XXV ational Conlerence DT, Sozopol,
Bulgaria, 7.21 (in Bulgarioan).
5. H. ajali, 1. Rassizaoelglani, !nternational 1ournal
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6. T. Bell, C. X. Li, !nternational Heat Treatment &
Surlace Ingineering, 1, 27, 34-38.
7. Tool steels !SO 4957:1999.
8. K. Klabunoe, anoscale materials in clemistry, A
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21.
9. www.ooerrenberg.oe