Carbon Atom Re-Distribution during Quenching and Partitioning

Abstract

Quenched and Partitioned (Q&P) steels have been shown in previous literature to exhibit attractive mechanical properties due to austenite and martensite present in the microstructure. However, questions have remained regarding the mechanisms at work during the partition step. In this work, x-ray diffraction and atom probe tomography were utilized to gain insights into phenomena that occur (such as carbon partitioning from martensite to austenite, carbon atom clustering/dislocation trapping, and carbide formation). Evidence of all of these mechanisms was observed.