Characteristics of Retained Austenite in Quenched High C-High Cr Alloy Steels

Abstract

In this paper, the morphologies of martensite and retained austenite for 1.5 mass%C-12 mass%Cr and 1 mass%C-8 mass%Cr steels were observed by means of optical microscopy, XRD, SEM/EBSD and TEM. The amount of retained austenites was quantitatively investigated and compared with XRD, EBSD and TEM observation methods. The retained austenites were distributed in the form of a block type and a film type in the martensite structures. For the 1.5 mass%C-12 mass%Cr steel, the amount of block type retained austenite and film type one are almost equal in three distinct regions of carbide; primary carbide, secondary carbide and without carbide. In the case of 1 mass%C-8 mass%Cr steel, as to film type retained austenite there are not so much differences among those regions. However, block type retained austenites are distributed with much amount, especially in the region around primary carbide.