Influência dos tratamentos térmicos e tratamentos criogênicos na tenacidade do aço rápido AISI M2. / Influence of the heat treatments and cryogenic treatments on the toughness of the AISI M2 high speed steel.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

In this work the toughness of the AISI M2 high speed steel heat treated by conventional and cryogenic routes has been evaluated. The toughness was evaluated through un-notched impact samples and 3 points bending cylindrical samples. The heat treatments were carried out in a vacuum furnace using nitrogen quenching with 6 bar of pressure. The conventional routes were constituted by austenitizing, quenching and triple tempering at 560°C. The cryogenic routes were constituted by the same austenitizing and quenching parameters used for the conventional routes, and also by cryogenic processing in liquid nitrogen for 2 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours. The samples submitted to 2 hours of cryogenic processing after quenching received only one tempering and the samples submitted to 24 and 48 hours of cryogenic processing were triple tempered, all at 560°C. In order to check the effect of the amount of retained austenite on the cryogenic processes, three different austenitizing temperatures were used: 1180°C, 1200°C and 1220°C. The metallographic characterization was performed using optical microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, EDS analysis and X-ray diffraction. The impact and 3 points bending tests results show that the cryogenic routes have produced final microstructures with toughness values equal or superior to the conventional routes with a special highlight to the cryogenic routes with only one tempering after the freezing process, that have shown superior results compared to the classic multi-tempering cycles. The fractographic analysis has revealed for the cryogenic routes samples a greater amount of ductile fracture areas compared to the conventional routes of hardening. The scanning electronic microscopy analysis has revealed few microstructure differences between the conventional and cryogenic hardening routes. The amount of retained austenite amongst the cryogenic samples (with the same austenitizing temperature) is similar, but is sensibly less than the amount found in the samples submitted to the conventional routes. Several divergences has been detected in the literature related to the cryogenic treatment of tool steels, especially concerning the dimensions and characteristics of the precipitated carbides. The martensite conditioning and the fine carbide precipitation could be indirectly demonstrated by the shift of the secondary hardness peak on the tempering curve of samples submitted to cryogenic treatment after the quenching. Optimum results were observed in the cryogenic samples hardened at 1180°C. Those samples retained the lowest amounts of austenite after quenching showing that the cryogenic processes has an effect in the quenching formed martensite and that the austenitizing temperature is a key factor on the final results of the cryogenic processes.

ASSUNTO(S)

cryogenic treatments high speed steel toughness tenacidade dos materiais aço rápido tratamento térmico

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