Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.

Aerospace Materials II

Problems on Metallic Materials: Topic 4: Heat Treatments

1.- There are two carbon steels, one hypoeutectoid with the following critical points: A1= 730 ºC and
A3= 850 ºC and the other one hypereutectoid with Acm =875 ºC. Point out the temperatures or ranges of
temperature at which the following heat treatments could take place: full annealing, normalizing,
quenching and tempering. Indicate, for each treatment the microstructural constituents at ambient
temperature.

A) Hypoeutectoid steel

Treatment Range of temperature Microestructure

Total annealing
Normalizing
Quenching
Tempering

B) Hypereutectoid steel

Treatment Range of temperature Microestructure

Total annealing
Normalizing
Quenching
Tempering

2.- Looking at the CCT diagram in the figure below that corresponds to a steel AISI 4340 (C: 0.4%;
Ni: 1,85 %; Cr: 0.8%; Mo:0.25%):
a) Describe the microstructures formed when cooling wires from this steel from the austentizing
temperature (750ºC) to ambient temperature at these rates: 0.005, 0.05, 0.5 y 5 ºC/s.

800

T
eutectoid
700
A ---> F
600 A ---> P

500

A ---> B
400

M
300 s

A ---> M
200

100

0
10 0 10 1 10 2 10 3 10 4 10 5 10 6

time (s)
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

b) Describe the simplest heat treatment in order to achieve the following transformations in the steel
AISI 4340:
(1) (M + A) to (M+B) :
(2) (M+F+B) to (F+P+B)
(3) (M+F+B) to (F + (Fe3C)spheroid ):
(4) (F + (Fe3C)spheroid) to (B)

c) Draw approximately the Jomini curve for this steel and compare it to the one that would be obtained
withe the following steels:
(1) Same alloying elements but with 0.2% in C
(2) Same alloying elements but with 0.6 % in C
(3) Same % in C but without alloying elements

3.- A carbon steel with 0.35 % of C, with the following critical points Ac1 = 730 ºC and Ac3= 850 ºC, is
used to manufacture 2mm diameter rods. Several samples of this rod undergo the following
treatments:
a) heating for 45 minutes at 890 ºC and cooling inside the furnace
b) heating for 45 minutes at 890 ºC and cooling in the open air
c) heating for 45 minutes at 890 ºC and cooling in water.
d) heating for 45 minutes at 1050 ºC and cooling inside the furnace
1.1) Explain the different phases present at ambient temperature for each of the four parts of the rod
treated.
1.2) Arrange treatments a), b) and c) according to the final hardness and strength achieved.
1.3) Point out the possible differences in microstructure and mechanical properties between treatments
a) and d)

4.- Indicate in each case the heating treatment required to transform one microstructure into another
for each of the following alloys. Assume that the test elements are 2mm diameter rods.

Alloy Microstructural transformation Treatment

Hypereutectoid steel (0.8% C) Martensite → Globular Cementite

Hypoeutectoid steel (0.3% C) Tempered Martensite →

Martensite

Eutectoid steel Perlite → Bainite

Hypereutectoid steel (0.8% C) Martensite + Retained Austenite

→ Martensite + Bainite
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

5.- Given the following CCT curves corresponding to two different steels, answer the following
questions:
a) What can be the cause of the differences in the CCT diagrams of these steels?
b) Determine the critical quenching rate for both steels.
c) Determine the maximum quenching rate that allows to obtain only ferrite and perlite.
d) Determine the cooling rates in which bainite appears as a constituent at ambient temperature.
e) What type of heat treatment should be applied to steel (b) to obtain a fully bainitic microstructure?
f) In steel (b) what microstructural differences would appear if it is cooled at 5 F/min or at 100 F/min?
What consequences do these differences have in the resulting hardness? Explain your answer.
g) A piece of steel (b) that has been manufactured by chill casting (metallic mold) has to be machined
before it can be used. Which heat treatment can we apply to improve its properties for machining?
h) Can an ausforming treatment be applied to any of the two steels? Why?

(a)

(b)
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

6.- For a particular application a low cost steel bar is required with a hardness of 45 HRC in the
middle. It is suggested to use a heat quenching treatment to achieve the required hardness as there are
several types of steel available. The Jominy curves for these steels are represented below.
a) If the bar has to have a diameter of 50 mm for the required application, determine which steel is
more suitable and what should be the quenching medium. The cooling curves for water H=1 (a) and
oil H=0,4 (b) are represented below.
b) All the available steels have 0.4 % C. For the chosen steel of part a) calculate the critical real
diameter (at 50%) in both quenching media. What is the ideal critical diameter? In both cases, explain
the process followed to get your answers.
Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

7.- Given the ITT and CCT diagrams represented below corresponding to a carbon steel of 0.77% of C

a) Describe the resulting microstructure when cooling a rod from this steel from autenizing
temperature to ambient temperature at these rate: 0,5; 5 and 50ºC/s.
b) Describe the simplest heat treatment in order to achieve the following transformations and write
their name.
1) P to B
2) M to F + (Fe3C)globular
3) F + (Fe3C)globular to P
4) B to M (100% without stresses)
c) A 7% of Cr was added and after an erroneous quenching treatment a final microstructure of 96% M
and 4% Fe3C was obtained. Find the carbon content of M assuming that the % of C of the steel
remains unchanged.
d) Explain how the CCT diagram would change if 1) 9% of Mn was added and 2) 12% of Cr was
added.

800
Teutectoide
700
Temperatura (ºC)

600

500

400

300

Ms
200

100 M99

0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10

tiempo (s)
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

8.- Given the CCT diagram represented below which corresponds to a carbon steel with a 1.10% of C.
a) Describe the resulting microstructure when cooling a rod of this steel from the austenizing
temperature to ambient temperature at the following rates: 1,5 and 50ºC/s.
b) Describe the simplest heat treatment in order to achieve the following transformations and write
their name.
1) A to B
2) M to F + (Fe3C)globular
3) F + (Fe3C)globular to C + P
4) A to M (100%)
c) This steel undergoes an inappropriate quenching and annealing treatment yielding a final
microstructure of 96.5% M and 3.5%C. Guess the carbon content of M and the austenizing
temperature used.
d) Explain how the diagram would change if: 1) 9% Mn was added, 2) 12% of Cr was added.

900

800
A ---> C
700
A ---> P
600
Temperature (ºC)

500

400 A ---> B

300
Ms

200
M(50%)
100

0
0 1 2 3
10 10 10 10
t (s)
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

9. Given the following CCT graph for a particular steel, answer the following questions:

a) Determine the maximum cooling rate which allows to obtain only ferrite and pearlite in the
microstructure
b) Determine the range of cooling rates within which bainite would appear as a microconstituent at
ambient temperature
c) Describe the type of heat treatment that should be applied in order to obtain a purely bainitic
microstructure.
d) What microstructural differences would appear between the microstructures obtained with
cooling rate of 5 F/min and a cooling rate of 50 F/min?. What consequences do these differences
have with respect to hardness?. Explain your answer.
e) Describe the most appropriate type of heat treatment to get the maximum ductility for steel
cooled at 50 F/min. What is the resulting microstructure?
f) What microstructure has the steel if it is cooled at 250 F/min? Describe a heat treatment to harden
the steel cooled in this way.
g) What is the slowest cooling rate necessary to avoid the formation of ferrite and pearlite in the
microstructure?
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

10. Consider the following CCT diagrams for two steels with the same carbon percentage and
answer the following questions:

a) What element could have been added to the steel in diagram “a” in order to transform it into the steel
in diagram “b”? Explain your answer.
b) Describe the microstructures that would be obtained for both steels if they are cooled from
austenization temperature (850 ºC) at the following rates: 5 ºC/min, 100 ºC/min, 1000 ºC/min and
18000 ºC/min.

Steel a Steel b
5 ºC/min
100 ºC/min
1000 ºC/min
18000 ºC/min
c) What microstructural differences will have steel “a” when cooled at 100 ºC/min and at 1000 ºC/min?.
How do these differences affect its hardness?
d) Which of these steels has higher hardenablity? Explain your answer.
e) For steel “b”, determine an alternative heat treatment to cooling at 100 ºC/min in order to obtain the
same microstructure.

a b
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

11. In the figure below, two CCT curves for steels A and B are represented. Both steels have the same
carbon content (0,35%C). Answer the following questions:
a) Explain the microstructural differences when cooling both steels at 200 ºC/min and at 50 ºC/min
from 900ºC.
200ºC/min 50ºC/min
Steel A
Steel B
b) Indicate the critical rate for both steels.
c) If we assume that the content in C, Mn and V are equal for both steels, why are the CCT diagrams
different?
d) Determine which of the two steels will have greater hardness after quenching.
e) If a 100% bainitic microstructure is desired, what is the more appropriate and simple heat
treatment for each of the two steels? How is it performed? What is its name?

B
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

12. The CCT diagram of AISI 1035 steel is shown in the following figure. Answer the following
questions.
a) Indicate weather this steel is eutectoid, hypoeutectoid or hypereutectoid and justify your answer.
Determine the critical quenching rate for this steel.
b) Describe the microstructures obtained when cooling wire pieces of this steel from the
austenization temperature (T≈850 ºC) until 100 ºC at the following cooling rates: 80ºC/s;
36.9ºC/s; 26.9ºC/s ; 8ºC/s; 0.15ºC/s;
c) Name and describe the simplest heat treatment required in order to obtain the following
microstructures from austenite. Assume that CCT and ITT diagrams for this steel are the same.
Indicate the cooling rate intervals when a continuous cooling is considered or temperature and
time at temperature when an isothermal heat treatment in considered.
1.- Bainite + Martensite
2.- Ferrite + Pearlite + Bainite + Martensite
3.- Ferrite + Bainite
4.- 100% Martensite (stress free)
5.- 100% Bainite.
d) What microstructural differences would appear between the microstructures obtained with a
cooling rate of 2.4ºC/s and a cooling rate of 0.15ºC/s? What consequences do these differences
have with respect to the mechanical properties?
e) Order the following steels with respect to the hardness of martensite after quenching and justify
your answer
Steel A.- steel AISI 1035 (diagram)
Steel B.- The same as steel A but with higher amount of C
Steel C.- The same as steel A but with higher amount of alloying elements
Steel D.- The same as steel A but with lower amount of C
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

13. The CCT (left) and ITT (right) diagrams of AISI S5 steel are shown in the following
figure. The steel has a composition of C: 0.57 %, Mn:0.8%, Cr:0.3%, Mo:0.78%, Si 2%,
V0.25%. Answer the following questions.

a) Describe the microstructures obtained when cooling wire pieces of this steel from the
austenization temperature (T≈850 ºC) until 100 ºC at the following cooling rates:
20.2ºC/s; 2.3ºC/s; 0.49ºC/s; 0.15ºC/s; 0.087ºC/s
b) Determine the critical quenching rate for this steel. Explain how the diagram would
change if (i) 3 %Mn was added (ii) 5% Cr was added.
c) Name and describe the simplest heat treatment required in order to obtain the following
microstructures from austenite. Indicate the cooling rate intervals when a continuous
cooling is considered or temperature and time at temperature when an isothermal heat
treatment in considered.
1.- Bainite + Martensite
2.- Pearlite + Bainite
3.- Pearlite + Martensite 4.- 100% Martensite (tension free)
5.- 100% Bainite
d) What microstructural differences would appear between the microstructures obtained with
a cooling rate of 0.087ºC/s and a cooling rate of 0.04ºC/s? What consequences do these
differences have with respect to the mechanical properties?
e) Order the following steels with respect to the hardness of martensite after quenching and
justify your answer
Steel A.- C:0.4%; Ni: 0.15%; Mn: 0.15%.
Steel B.- The same as steel A but with an additional 1% Cr
Steel C.- The same carbon content as steel A but without any other alloying
elements
Steel D.- The same alloying elements as steel B and 0.6% of carbon
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

14. The CCT (left) and ITT (right) diagrams of steel PT759 (DIN21CrMoV5-11) are shown
in the following figure. The steel has a composition of C: 0.21 %, Mn:0.45%, Cr:1.35%,
Mo:1.10%, Si: 0.45 %, Ni: 0.30%, V: 0.30%. Answer the following questions.
a) Describe the microstructures present in wire pieces of this steel after the following heat
treatments:
a. Heat at 840ºC, quench to 700ºC and hold for 1000s, and then quench to 25 ºC.
b. Heat at 840ºC, quench to 700ºC and hold for 10000s, and then quench to 25 ºC
c. Heat at 840ºC, and cool with a cooling rate of 1.3 ºC/sec.
d. Heat at 840ºC, and cool with a cooling rate of 37.5 ºC/sec, and then heat at
300ºC and hold for 10 min.
e. Heat at 840ºC, and cool with a cooling rate of 0.03 ºC/sec.
b) Describe the following heat treatments for this steel and the microstructure obtained in
each case.
1.- Annealing
2.- Quenching.
3.- Normalizing
4.- Martempering
c) Arrange the heat treatment 1,2,3 of part (b) according to the hardness obtained. Indicate
whether this steel is eutectoid, hypoeutectoid or hypereutectoid and justify your answer. A
piece of steel that has been manufactured by die casting has to be machined before it can
be used. Describe an appropriate heat treatment to improve its properties for machining.
d) Calculate approximately the critical quenching rate for this steel. Explain how the CCT
diagram would change if 1) 9% of Mn was added and 2) 12% of Cr was added. Will the
hardness of martensite change? Explain.
 Dpt. Materials Science and Eng. and Chemical Eng.
Aerospace Materials II

15. The CCT (left) and ITT (right) diagrams of AISI 4337/4340 steel are shown in the following
figure. The steel has a composition of C: 0.34 %, Mn:0.65%, Cr:1.50%, Mo:0.23%, Si: 0.4 %, Ni:
1.50%. Answer the following questions.
a) Describe the microstructures present in wire pieces of this steel after the following heat
treatments:
b) Heat at 820ºC, quench to 650ºC and hold for 1000s, and then quench to 25 ºC.
c) Heat at 820ºC, quench to 650ºC and hold for 1000s, quench to 400 ºC and hold for 3000s and then
quench to 25ºC.
d) Heat at 820ºC, and cool with a cooling rate of 1.2 ºC/sec.
e) Heat at 820ºC, and cool with a cooling rate of 8.7 ºC/sec, and then heat at 300ºC and hold for 10
min.
f) Recommend appropriate heat treatments for this steel in order to obtain the following. Indicate the
cooling rate when a continuous cooling is considered or temperatures and times when an
isothermal heat treatment in considered.
1.- Hardness of 434 HV
2.- Hardness of 586 HV
3.- Bainite + Martensite
4.- Ferrite + Pearlite + Bainite + Martensite
g) Indicate weather this steel is eutectoid, hypoeutectoid or hypereutectoid and justify your answer. A
customer wishes to obtain fine and tough martensite, and in order to get it, an ausforming
treatment is proposed to be applied. What does this treatment consists of? Can it be applied to this
steel? Justify your answer.
h) Sketch the hardenability curves for the following steels:
Steel A.- C:0.4%; Ni: 0.15%; Mn: 0.15%.
Steel B.- The same as steel A but with an additional 1% Cr
Steel C.- The same carbon content as steel A but without any other alloying elements
Steel D.- The same alloying elements as steel B and 0.6% of carbon