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UNDERSTANDING
A DV A N C E D M AT E R I A L S & P RO C E S S E S | F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5
AND MEASURING
DECARBURIZATION
Understanding the forces behind decarburization is the first step toward
minimizing its detrimental effects.
George F. Vander Voort, FASM*, Struers Inc. (Consultant), Cleveland
D
ecarburization is detrimental to crostructure of carbon contents close to the maximum depth of decarburization
the wear life and fatigue life of the core may be difficult to discern. The is established. Because the carbon dif-
steel heat-treated components. MAD determined by hardness traverse fusion rate increases with temperature
This article explores some factors that may be slightly shallower than that de- when the structure is fully austenitic,
cause decarburization while concentrat- termined by quantitative carbon analysis MAD also increases as temperature rises
ing on its measurement. In most produc- with the electron microprobe. This is es- above the Ac3. For temperatures in the
tion tests, light microscopes are used to pecially true when the bulk carbon con- two-phase region, between the Ac1 and
scan the surface of a polished and etched tent exceeds about 0.45 wt%, as the rela- Ac3, the process is more complex. Carbon
cross-section to find what appears to be tionship between carbon in the austenite diffusion rates in ferrite and austenite
the greatest depth of total carbon loss before quenching to form martensite and are different, and are influenced by both
(free-ferrite depth, or FFD) and the great- the as-quenched hardness loses its linear temperature and composition.
est depth of combined FFD and partial nature above this carbon level. Decarburization is a serious prob-
loss of carbon to determine the maxi- lem because surface properties are infe-
mum affected depth (MAD). rior to core properties, resulting in poor
In some cases, there is no free Decarburization basics wear resistance and low fatigue life. To
ferrite at the surface. In research stud- Decarburization occurs when car- understand the extent of the problem,
ies, this may be supplemented with a bon atoms at the steel surface interact two characteristics that may be present
Knoop hardness traverse to determine with the furnace atmosphere and are at a decarburized steels surface can be
the depth where hardness becomes con- removed from the steel as a gaseous measured: Free-ferrite layer depth (FFD,
stant. The Knoop-determined MAD is of- phase[1-8]. Carbon from the interior diffus- when present) and partial decarburiza-
ten somewhat deeper than the visually es towards the surface, moving from high tion depth (PDD, when free-ferrite is
determined MAD, as variations in the mi- to low concentration and continues until
Fig. 1 Decarburized surface of as-rolled, eutectoid carbon steel (Fe-0.8% C-0.21% Mn-0.22%
Si) at two different locations around the periphery show a substantial variation in the amount Fig. 2 Erratic depth of free ferrite at
and depth of ferrite at the surface. The matrix should be nearly all pearlite (4% picral etch, 500). the surface of a bar of 440A martensitic
stainless steel after quenching from 2000F
*Life Member of ASM International (1093C); etched with Vilellas reagent.
A DV A N C E D M AT E R I A L S & P RO C E S S E S | F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5
the free-ferrite layers maximum depth
(often variable) plus the depth of partial
decarburization to the unaffected core
is measured. This totalFFD + PDDis
called maximum affected depth (MAD).
These depths are not uniform and can
vary substantially, leading to measure-
ments of average FFD, PDD, and MAD,
as well as maximum values for each.
ASTM E1077 covers decarburization
measurement.
In practice, decarburization should
be evaluated on a plane transverse to the
Fig. 3 Decarburization of 5160 modified spring steel defined by surface hardness and
hot working axis, as depth variation is
incremental turnings analyzed chemically for carbon content as a function of whether or not the
greater around the bar on the transverse
surface was descaled or was covered by mill scale, and austenitizing at 1600F for 80 minutes.
plane than at a specific constant position
along a longitudinal plane. Decarburiza-
tion depth can vary substantially around than planar surfaces. Sampling schemes with precision and depth measurement
the periphery of a bar, as shown in Fig. 1. for large cross-sections are also illustrat- accuracy suffers. Good edge retention
Qualitative measurements can be sub- ed in ASTM E1077. requires mounting of the specimen in a
jective and biased. Free-ferrite depth To obtain good data, edge reten- resin, such as DuroFast, that does not ex-
can also be erratic, even over a small sur- tion must be perfectthe surface must hibit shrinkage gaps between the mount
face area, as shown in Fig. 2. Corners of be perfectly flat to the extreme edge. If and specimen after polymerization.
square or rectangular sections normally edges are rounded, the exact location Grinding and polishing procedures must
exhibit greater decarburization depths of the outer surface is difficult to define emphasize maintaining flatness. While
A DV A N C E D M AT E R I A L S & P RO C E S S E S | F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5
Experimental data than the incremental carbon analysis incremental carbon analysis or microin-
If spring steels (typically ~0.6% procedure or microindentation hard- dentation tests. This depth, however,
carbon) are heat treated in gas-fired ness traverses. This is because it is diffi- can be considered an effective depth
furnaces, operating conditions can cult to detect the final minor loss in car- where carbon content is usually with-
either increase or decrease the as- bon as the unaffected core is reached. in about 10-25% of the matrix carbon
rolled depth of decarburization after Color etchants are likely to perform bet- content and responds reasonably well
heat treatment, relative to the starting ter for this purpose than black and white to heat treatment. If the maximum ob-
point. Austenitizing of these grades is etchants such as nital or picral, but com- served MAD is used as criteria for stock
typically performed in the 1600-1650F parative tests have not been performed. removal, the surfaces carbon content
range and holding times, which depend For annealed microstructures, the visual will be close to the matrix carbon con-
upon bar diameter, are usually at least estimate of the average MAD is generally tent after machining.
20 minutes. In many cases, a protective
atmosphere is not employed.
An experiment was conducted us-
ing round bars of 5160 modified spring
steel. Specimens were austenitized ei-
ther with the as-rolled mill scale present
or removed by sand blasting. Specimens
were austenitized at 1600F (871C) for 80
minutes, then oil quenched. Part of each
bar was incrementally machined (after
scale removal by glass-bead blasting)
and the carbon content was determined.
Surface hardness readings were also
recorded and results are shown in Fig. 3.
Note that the specimen austenitized at
1600F exhibits a large difference be-
tween surface carbon content and sur-
face hardness, compared to the bar cov-
ered with mill scale to the descaled one.
Figure 4 shows results of quantita-
tive FFD and MAD measurements for the
two specimens austenitized at 1600F
including 132 measurements around the
periphery of the scaled bar and 113 mea-
surements for the descaled sample. The
scaled bar austenitized at 1600F exhibits
a consistent free-ferrite layer around its
periphery with an average depth of 0.08
0.002 mm (95% confidence interval).
Note that FFD measurement distribution
is very narrow, or peaked. The MAD, how-
ever, shows an average depth of 0.266
0.006 mm and distribution is broad. In
contrast, for the descaled bar, no free
ferrite was seen and 19.47% of the 113
measurements indicate no decarburiza-
tion was present. The remaining mea-
surements exhibit an average depth of
0.073 0.010 mm, slightly lower than the
scaled bars average FFD. The MAD dis-
tribution curve appears to be bimodal.
Figure 5 shows typical microstructures
observed at the specimens two surfaces.
Visual estimates of the maximum af-
fected depth of decarburization general-
quantitative average, which was based prepared specimens with good edge in Decarburizing Gases, Engineering (Lon-
A DV A N C E D M AT E R I A L S & P RO C E S S E S | F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5
on 25 random measurements around the retention. This can easily be achieved don), Vol 133, p 92-94, 123-126, 229-231,
periphery. If it was assumed that the vi- with modern equipment and is reason- and 305-306, 1932.
sual estimate of the greatest MAD around ably fast. Qualitative measurements of 2. J.K. Stanley, Steel Carburization and De-
the bar periphery would be deeper than the free-ferrite depth (when present) carburization A Theoretical Analysis, Iron
the mean MAD of 25 randomly chosen lo- and the maximum affected depth of de- Age, Vol 151, p 31-39 and 49-55, 1943.
cations, then the actual result would be carburization are usually adequate. But 3. F.E. Purkert, Prevention of Decarburiza-
rather surprising. such measurements are subject to bias tion in Annealing of High Carbon Steel,
and the reproducibility is not as good as J. Heat Treating, Vol 2, p 225-231, 1982.
4. H.W. Grasshoff, et al., Effect of Different
when quantitative measurements are
Conclusions made using at least 25 randomly select-
Dew Points of the Heat Treating Atmo-
sphere on the Skin Decarburization of
Decarburization of steel parts is a ed locations around the bar periphery.
Heat-Treatable Steels, Stahl nd Eisen,
serious problem as the weaker surface Microindentation hardness traverses
Vol 89(3), p 119-128, 1969.
layer reduces wear resistance, enabling are excellent for defining the MAD. The
5. G.E. Wieland and E.M. Rudzki, Effects of
fatigue failures to occur more easily. A FFD is easily observed by light micros-
Furnace Design and Operating Parameters
simple screening test was discussed, copy and adequate inspection of the
on the Decarburization of Steel, Metal
which can be used for certain shapes periphery is needed to detect the deep- Progress, p 40-46, February 1979.
and high production runs. If the sur- est amount present. ~AM&P 6. R. Rolls, Heating in the Drop Forge:
face hardness is below some predeter- Formation and Properties of Scales on
mined limit, which varies with grade, For more information: George F. Vander
Iron-Base Alloys, Metal Forming, Vol 34,
then a microstructural examination is Voort is a consultant for Struers Inc.,
p 69-74, 1967.
required. Chemical analysis of carbon 24766 Detroit Rd., Cleveland, OH 44145,
7. K. Sachs and C.W. Tuck, Surface Oxida-
on incremental turnings (or millings) 847.623.7648, georgevandervoort@yahoo.
tion of Steel in Industrial Furnaces, ISI SR
com, www.georgevandervoort.com.
can be performed, although this is 111, London, p 1-17, 1968.
more applicable to research than pro- References 8. E. Schuermann, et al., Decarburization
duction. Metallographic rating of de- 1. A. Bramley and K.F. Allen, The Loss of and Scale Formation, Wire Journal, Vol 7,
carburization depth requires properly Carbon from Iron and Steel When Heated p 155-164, 1974.
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