Hardening &Tempering

Austenitising and quenching

Steel is heated to austenitic region, held
there until carbon is dissolved and then
cooled rapidly cooled rapidly
Quenching is performed to cool the hot
metal rapidly by immersing in brine, water
or oil
Carbon does not get time to escape and
martensite phase is the result of
quenching
Martensite is very hard and brittle.
Tempering is applied to hardened steel to reduce
brittleness, increase ductility, and toughness and relieve
stresses in martensite structure.
Tempering
In this process, the steel is heated to a relatively low
temperature, held there for prescribed period of time
and then cooled to room temperature.
This process increases ductility and toughness but also
reduces hardness, strength and wear resistance
marginally. Increase in tempering temperature lowers
the hardness.
Main battle tank with the T-90 Gun Barrel
fitted to it
Tempered at
350-400C
Tempered at 500C
Tempering Izod
Temperature impact
C UTS YS El RA Hardness energy
MPa MPa % % HB J
205 1765 1520 10.0 33.0 475 18
260 1670 1430 11.5 37.0 455 14
315 1570 1340 13.0 41.0 425 14
370 1475 1250 15.0 45.0 400 20
425 1380 1170 16.5 49.0 375 34 425 1380 1170 16.5 49.0 375 34
540 1170 1000 20.0 56.0 325 81
650 965 830 22.0 63.0 270 135
Typical mechanical properties of heat treated
4130 steel as a function of tempering
temperature
Radial hardness profiles of cylindrical
steel bars
Hardenability is the ability of the
Steel to be hardened by forming
martensite.
Hardenability is not hardness .
Hardenability
Hardenability is not hardness .
High hardenability means the
ability of the alloy to produce a high
martensite content over a large
cross sectional area.
Hardenability is a qualitative measure of the rate
at which hardness decreases with distance from
the surface because of decreased martensite
content.
Hardenability is measured by the J ominy end-
Hardenability
Hardenability is measured by the J ominy end-
quench test, performed for standard cylindrical
specimen, standard austenitization conditions,
and standard quenching conditions (jet of water
at specific flow rate and temperature).
Hardenability Curve
Quenched end cools most rapidly and contains most martensite
Cooling rate decreases with distance from quenched end:
greater C diffusion, more pearlite/bainite, lower hardness
High hardenability means that the hardness curve is relatively flat.

Hardenability generally increases with C

content
Hardenability
Alloying elements delay formation of pearlite,
bainite : more martensite
Alloys in figure above all have 0.40 wt% C, but
have different additional alloying elements
Radial hardness profiles of cylindrical
steel bars
25 1040 880 18 55
Effect of mass on typical properties of heat
treated 4130 steel
Bar size, mm UTS (MPa) YS (MPa) El (%) RA (%)
25 1040 880 18 55
50 740 570 20 58
75 710 540 22 60
Compositions of the ultrahigh-strength
medium carbon low alloy steels used for
automotive applications
Trade Composition, wt % (a)
Name C Mn Si Cr Ni Mo V
4130 0.280.33 0.400.60 0.200.35 0.801.10 ... 0.150.25 ...
6150 0.480.53 0.700.90 0.200.35 0.801.10 ... ... 0.150.25 6150 0.480.53 0.700.90 0.200.35 0.801.10 ... ... 0.150.25
8640 0.380.43 0.751.00 0.200.35 0.400.60 0.400.70 0.150.25 ...
(a) P and S contents may vary with steelmaking practice. Usually,
these steels contain no more than 0.035 P and 0.040 S.
Piston (top) and connecting rod from typical
automotive engine (scale is in centimetres)
Ultra high strength Steel
Grade
Automotive applications
4130 Automotive connecting
rods, engine mounting lugs,
shafts, fittings, bushings,
gears, bolts, axles
6150 Gears, pinions, springs 6150 Gears, pinions, springs
(both coiled and flat),
shafts, axles, studs,
fasteners
8640 Gears, pinions, shafts,
axles, studs, fasteners
Grade Hardening treatment Tempering treatment
4130 Heat to 845 to 870 C and hold,
then water quench; or heat to 860
to 885 C; hold and then oil
quench. Holding time depends on
section thickness
Hold at least 1/2 h at 200 to 700
C; air cool or water quench.
Tempering temperature and time
at temperature depend mainly on
desired hardness or strength level
6150 Austenitize at 845 to 900 C; oil Hold at least 1/2 h at 200 to 650 6150 Austenitize at 845 to 900 C; oil
quench
Hold at least 1/2 h at 200 to 650
C. Tempering temperature and
time at temperature primarily
depend on desired final hardness
8640 Austenitize at 815 to 845 C;
quench in oil or water
Hold at least 1/2 h at 200 to 650
C.
4340 steel (0.4%C,1.8%Ni, 0.8%Cr,
0.25%Mo)has a higher hardenability which
enables slower quenching rates with less
0.4%C Ni-Cr-Mo lowalloy steel is
superior to 0.45 carbon steel
enables slower quenching rates with less
residual stresses.
The ideal critical diameter for the 4340
steel 65 mm, as compared to 15 mm for a
1040 steel.
0.4%C Ni-Cr-Mo lowalloy steel is
superior to 0.4%carbon steel
0.4% C steel, when quenched and tempered at 450C has the
following properties:
Y.S. 650 MPa
T.S. 800 MPa
%El 15
Izod Impact 30 J
4340 steel, when quenched and tempered for the same elongation
and impact value, has the following strength properties:
Y.S. 1200 MPa
T.S. 1350 MPa
%El 15
Izod Impact 32 J
It is clear that, for the same ductility and toughness, the low alloy
steel possesses superior strength. Conversely, for the same
strength, the low alloy steel would have larger ductility and
toughness.