Understanding Decarburization
Understanding Decarburization
Understanding Decarburization
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UNDERSTANDING
AND MEASURING
DECARBURIZATION
Understanding the forces behind decarburization is the first step toward
minimizing its detrimental effects.
George F. Vander Voort, FASM*, Struers Inc. (Consultant), Cleveland
ecarburization is detrimental to
the wear life and fatigue life of
steel heat-treated components.
This article explores some factors that
cause decarburization while concentrating on its measurement. In most production tests, light microscopes are used to
scan the surface of a polished and etched
cross-section to find what appears to be
the greatest depth of total carbon loss
(free-ferrite depth, or FFD) and the greatest depth of combined FFD and partial
loss of carbon to determine the maximum affected depth (MAD).
In some cases, there is no free
ferrite at the surface. In research studies, this may be supplemented with a
Knoop hardness traverse to determine
the depth where hardness becomes constant. The Knoop-determined MAD is often somewhat deeper than the visually
determined MAD, as variations in the mi-
Decarburization basics
Decarburization occurs when carbon atoms at the steel surface interact
with the furnace atmosphere and are
removed from the steel as a gaseous
phase[1-8]. Carbon from the interior diffuses towards the surface, moving from high
to low concentration and continues until
Fig. 1 Decarburized surface of as-rolled, eutectoid carbon steel (Fe-0.8% C-0.21% Mn-0.22%
Si) at two different locations around the periphery show a substantial variation in the amount
and depth of ferrite at the surface. The matrix should be nearly all pearlite (4% picral etch, 500).
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In practice, decarburization should
be evaluated on a plane transverse to the
hot working axis, as depth variation is
greater around the bar on the transverse
plane than at a specific constant position
along a longitudinal plane. Decarburization depth can vary substantially around
the periphery of a bar, as shown in Fig. 1.
Qualitative measurements can be subjective and biased. Free-ferrite depth
can also be erratic, even over a small surface area, as shown in Fig. 2. Corners of
square or rectangular sections normally
exhibit greater decarburization depths
Fig. 3 Decarburization of 5160 modified spring steel defined by surface hardness and
incremental turnings analyzed chemically for carbon content as a function of whether or not the
surface was descaled or was covered by mill scale, and austenitizing at 1600F for 80 minutes.
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SiC abrasive paper can be used for grinding, resin-bonded diamond discs such as
MD-Piano provide excellent flatness and
long life. Napless cloths are used for diamond polishing while low-nap clothes
are used to polish with alumina or colloidal silica abrasives. In most cases, a reticule is used to make the measurement.
Alternatively, many image-capture software programs allow operators to make
point-to-point distance measurements.
However, these systems must be properly calibrated.
Fig. 6 Rockwell C hardness tests on the surface of 5160H, 5160M, and 9260M (after glass bead
blasting) is a simple screening test to determine if the surface is decarburized or free of
decarburization. The correlation is much better when there are no free-ferrite grains at the surface
(blue data points) than when free ferrite (red data points) is present.
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If spring steels (typically ~0.6%
carbon) are heat treated in gas-fired
furnaces, operating conditions can
either increase or decrease the asrolled depth of decarburization after
heat treatment, relative to the starting
point. Austenitizing of these grades is
typically performed in the 1600-1650F
range and holding times, which depend
upon bar diameter, are usually at least
20 minutes. In many cases, a protective
atmosphere is not employed.
An experiment was conducted using round bars of 5160 modified spring
steel. Specimens were austenitized either with the as-rolled mill scale present
or removed by sand blasting. Specimens
were austenitized at 1600F (871C) for 80
minutes, then oil quenched. Part of each
bar was incrementally machined (after
scale removal by glass-bead blasting)
and the carbon content was determined.
Surface hardness readings were also
recorded and results are shown in Fig. 3.
Note that the specimen austenitized at
1600F exhibits a large difference between surface carbon content and surface hardness, compared to the bar covered with mill scale to the descaled one.
Figure 4 shows results of quantitative FFD and MAD measurements for the
two specimens austenitized at 1600F
including 132 measurements around the
periphery of the scaled bar and 113 measurements for the descaled sample. The
scaled bar austenitized at 1600F exhibits
a consistent free-ferrite layer around its
periphery with an average depth of 0.08
0.002 mm (95% confidence interval).
Note that FFD measurement distribution
is very narrow, or peaked. The MAD, however, shows an average depth of 0.266
0.006 mm and distribution is broad. In
contrast, for the descaled bar, no free
ferrite was seen and 19.47% of the 113
measurements indicate no decarburization was present. The remaining measurements exhibit an average depth of
0.073 0.010 mm, slightly lower than the
scaled bars average FFD. The MAD distribution curve appears to be bimodal.
Figure 5 shows typical microstructures
observed at the specimens two surfaces.
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Experimental data
Visual estimates of the maximum affected depth of decarburization general-
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Fig. 7 Decarburization
measurements on a spheroidize
annealed bar of W1 carbon steel.
a) Carbon analysis of incremental
turnings reveal a MAD of 0.64 mm.
b) A 200 gf Knoop hardness traverse
reveals a MAD of 0.51 mm.
c) Qualitative and quantitative visual
LOM estimates yield MADs of 0.406 and
0.433 mm, respectively. d) LOM image
of a typical surface area.
Additionally, a simple screening
test was used to detect decarburized
specimens of 5160H, 5160M, and 9260M
spring steel lots used for front wheel
drive automobile springs. As the design loads on these springs increased
throughout the 1970s, no free ferrite
and almost no MAD could be permitted or spring life would be reduced.
Examples of the variation in decarburization ratings by three methods
carbon analysis of incremental turnings,
microindentation hardness traverses,
and visual qualitative or quantitative estimates by light microscopyare shown
in Fig. 7. The spheroidize annealed microstructure of W1 carbon tool steel
(~1% C), a typical specimen rated by mill
metallurgists in plants that make tool
steel, is shown in Fig. 7d at 100. The
carbide in the decarburized surface zone
exhibits a significantly lower volume
fraction than the interior. At the extreme
surface, individual carbides can be seen.
Note the seemingly unusual carbon distribution at the surface in Fig. 7a. The
lowest carbon content is only to about
0.7%, roughly a 30% loss. So, free ferrite is not present. Examination at 1000
shows that the cementite in the decarburized zone is not well spheroidized but
tends to be lamellar. This is because the
annealing cycle cannot spheroidize cementite in the lower carbon surface area
compared to the bulk carbon content.
Note that the hardness at the surface of
the decarburized zone is actually greater
than in the core, a result that may seem
counterintuitive. However, as some tool
steel metallurgists are aware, coarse
lamellar carbide structureeven with a
lower volume fraction than the spheroidized coreis harder and less ductile.
(d)
Carbon analysis of the incremental
turnings provides the best estimate of the
maximum affected depth. The MAD estimate is more accurate using the Knoop
traverses than LOM measurements, but is
still rather conservative compared to the
MAD from actual carbon analysis. However, this is not a major problem because
the hardness became essentially constant at a shallower depth than shown
by the incremental carbon analysis. The
qualitative estimates, based on a simple
visual estimate going around the bars
periphery, are slightly lower than the
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Conclusions
Decarburization of steel parts is a
serious problem as the weaker surface
layer reduces wear resistance, enabling
fatigue failures to occur more easily. A
simple screening test was discussed,
which can be used for certain shapes
and high production runs. If the surface hardness is below some predetermined limit, which varies with grade,
then a microstructural examination is
required. Chemical analysis of carbon
on incremental turnings (or millings)
can be performed, although this is
more applicable to research than production. Metallographic rating of decarburization depth requires properly
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