An extraordinary-performance gradient nanostructured Hadfield manganese steel containing multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell surface layer by laser surface processing

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2022.06.030

Abstract

Abstract:

Reducing grain size (i.e. increasing the fraction of grain boundaries) could effectively strengthen nanograined metals but inevitably sacrifices the ductility and possibly causes a strengthening-softening transition below a critical grain size. In this work, a facile laser surface remelting-based technique was employed and optimized to fabricate a ∼600 μm-thick heterogeneous gradient nanostructured layer on an austenitic Hadfield manganese steel, in which the average grain size is gradually decreased from ∼200 μm in the matrix to only ∼8 nm in the nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell topmost surface. Atomic-scale microstructural characterizations dissected the gradient refinement processes along the gradient direction, i.e. transiting from the dislocations activities and twinning in sub-region to three kinds of martensitic transformations, and finally a multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell structural surface. Mechanical tests (e.g. nanoindentation, bulk-specimen tensile, and micro-pillar compression) were conducted along the gradient direction. It confirms a tensile strength of ∼1055 MPa and ductility of ∼10.5% in the laser-processed specimen. Particularly, the core-shell structural surface maintains ultra-strong (tensile strength of ∼1.6 GPa, micro-pillar compressive strength of ∼4 GPa at a strain of ∼8%, and nanoindentation hardness of ∼7.7 GPa) to overcome the potential strengthening-softening transition. Such significant strengthening effects are ascribed to the strength-ductility synergetic effects-induced extra work hardening ability in gradient nanostructure and the well-maintained dislocation activities inside extremely refined nanograins in the multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell structural surface, which are evidenced by atomic-scale observations and theoretical analysis. This study provides a unique hetero-nanostructure through a facile laser-related technique for extraordinary mechanical performance.

Key words: Laser surface processing, Hadfield manganese steel, Gradient nanostructure, Nanocrystalline-amorphous, Martensitic transformation

Wanting Sun, Jiasi Luo, Yim Ying Chan, J.H. Luan, Xu-Sheng Yang. An extraordinary-performance gradient nanostructured Hadfield manganese steel containing multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell surface layer by laser surface processing[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2023, 134: 209-222.

Figures/Tables 13

Fig. 1. (a) A schematic illustration of laser surface processing. (b-e) Cross-sectional OM images of the laser-processed specimens with laser energy densities of 64, 80, 120, and 100 J/mm2, respectively. (f) Variations of microhardness along the depth of the laser-processed specimens with different laser energy densities; (g) Variations of nanoindentation hardness and (h) nanoindention mapping along the depth direction of the laser-processed specimens with a laser energy density of 100 J/mm2.

Fig. 2. (a) XRD patterns of the as-received and top surface regions of laser-processed samples with different laser energy densities. (b) XRD patterns at different depth layers of the laser-processed sample with a laser energy density of 100 J/mm2. Corresponding variations in phase fractions against the laser energy density and depth are inserted in (a) and (b), respectively.

Fig. 3. Microstructure of the laser-processed specimen at the depth of ～600 μm. (a) A TEM image and corresponding SAED pattern in the inset. (b) An HRTEM image and (c) corresponding atomic IFFT image of the region marked by dash square in (b) showing the high density of planar dislocations and SFs on one specific {111}γ plane. (d) A TEM image, (e) HRTEM, and (f) corresponding atomic IFFT image of the region marked by dash square in (f) showing the dislocation grids and SFs on two {111}γ planes.

Fig. 4. Microstructure of the laser-processed specimen at the depth of ～450 μm. (a) A TEM image showing the bundles of deformation twinning and corresponding SAED pattern in the inset. (b) An HRTEM image of twins and the corresponding FFT pattern inset and (c) corresponding atomic IFFT image. (d) A TEM image showing the hcp-ε martensitic laths and corresponding SAED pattern in the inset. (e) An HRTEM image of hcp-ε martensite and corresponding FFT image inset and (f) corresponding atomic IFFT image.

Fig. 5. Microstructure of the laser-processed specimen at the depth of ～300 μm. (a) TEM image, (b) SAED pattern, (c) HRTEM image, and (d) atomic IFFT image illustrating the FCC-γ →Twin→ BCC-α? martensitic transformation. (e) TEM image, (f) SAED pattern, (g) HRTEM image, and (h) atomic IFFT image illustrating the FCC-γ →HCP-ε→ BCC-α? martensitic transformation. (i) TEM image and inserted corresponding SAED pattern containing γ and α? phases. (j) Statistical histogram of grain size distribution. (k) Enlarged TEM image and (l) corresponding atomic IFFT image showing the interfacial atomic arrangements for the FCC-γ → BCC-α? martensitic transformation.

Fig. 6. Microstructure of the laser-processed specimen at the depth of ～150 μm. (a) A bright-field TEM image and corresponding SAED pattern inserted. (b) A dark-field TEM image. (c) Statistical histogram of grain size distribution.

Fig. 7. Microstructure of laser-processed specimen in the topmost surface layer. (a) A bright-field TEM image, (b) SAED pattern, and (c) statistical histogram of grain size distribution, showing the multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell structure. (d) An HRTEM image showing nanocrystalline FCC-γ and BCC-α’ phases, and amorphous GBs. (e-g) Atomic IFFT images and FFT patterns taken from the regions marked by Amorphous GB, G1, and G2 in (d), respectively. (h) 3D-APT mapping of the elemental distributions in the topmost surface layer.

Fig. 8. Tensile properties of as-received and laser-processed Hadfield steels. (a) Engineering stress-strain curves and (b) summarized mechanical properties.

Fig. 9. (a) H-P relation plots with the yield strength as a function of reciprocal square root of grain size of the laser-processed Hadfield steel along the depth direction and some other referenced steels [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47], [48], [49], [50], [51], [52], [53], [54]. Mechanical behavior of the gradient nanostructured steel measured by the micropillar compression tests: (b) Micro-pillar compression tests of 100 J/mm2 laser-processed specimens at various depth layers. SEM morphologies of micro-pillars before and after compression tests: (c) As-received, (d) ～50 μm depth, and (e) topmost surface.

Fig. 10. Schematic illustration of the microstructure evolution of laser-processed GNS Hadfield steel.

Fig. 11. Cross-sectional SEM fracture surface morphologies of (a) the as-received and (b) laser-processed Hadfield steel with an energy density of 100 J/mm2. (c-e) Enlarged images of different regions in (b).

Fig. 12. Microstructure of top surface layer of laser-processed specimen after tensile deformation. (a) A TEM image, (b) corresponding SAED pattern, and (c) statistical histogram of grain size distribution. (d) An HRTEM image of nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell structure. (e, f) Atomic IFFT images showing partial dislocations and deformation twinning in G1 region marked in (d), respectively. (g) Atomic IFFT image of G2 region marked in (d).

Fig. 13. (a) Work hardening curves for various microstructures of laser-processed Hadfield steels and corresponding true stress-strain curves inserted. (b) Curves of logarithmic strain hardening rate vs. logarithmic true stress and corresponding values of m for different strain hardening stages. (c) Engineering flow stress of the integrated sample (CG+GS), the CG sample, and the calculated curve using ROM, and corresponding contributions of synergetic strengthening effect of laser-processed samples inserted. (d) Comparisons of the mechanical properties between the laser-processed Hadfield manganese steels and counterparts processed by other methods [83], [84], [85], [86], [87], [88], [89], [90], [91].

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