Studies of the properties of heat treated rolled medium carbon steel

Abstract

Investigations were carried out to study critically the effects of heat treatment on the properties of rolled medium carbon steel. Representative samples of as-rolled medium carbon steel were subjected to heat treatment processes which are; Quenching, Lamellae Formation and Tempering in the following order (Q + Q + L + T), (Q + L + T) and (L + T). The steel was heated to the austenizing temperature of 830 °C and water quenched. The quenched steel was subjected to lamellae formation by reheating it to the ferrite-austenite dual-phase region at a temperature of 745 °C below the effective AC3 point and then rapidly quenched in water. The lamellae formed was tempered at 480 °C to provide an alloy containing strong, tough and lath martensite in a soft and ductile ferrite matrix. Mechanical tests were carried out on the samples and the results shows that the steel developed has excellent combination of tensile strength, hardness and impact strength which is very good for structural applications. The corrosion behaviour of the samples; heat treated rolled medium carbon steel and as-rolled medium carbon steel in sodium chloride medium were also investigated from where it was also confirmed that improved corrosion resistance is achievable by the treatment.