Dimensional stability of 51CrV4 steel during bainitic phase transformation under tensile and compressive stresses

Abstract

The effect of the prior austenitization treatment on the stress-strain response of a low alloy 51CrV4 steel in its supercooled austenitic state and its effect on the evolution of transformation plasticity strain during a subsequent isothermal bainitic transformation was investigated. One of the key findings is that the prior austenitization treatment strongly affects the evolution of transformation plasticity strains during the subsequent isothermal bainitic transformation under stress, such that higher transformation plasticity strains are present when the austenite grain size is increased. In addition, higher 0.2% offset yield strengths of the supercooled austenite are present following an incomplete austenitization treatment due to the existence of residual carbides. Overall, the current results clearly lay out the effect of the prior austenitization treatment on the stress-strain response of the supercooled austenite and the evolution of transformation plasticity during bainitic transformation.