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On the origin of ultra-hardness in bearing steels: Two-step bainite transformation processes

Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSNConference contribution/Paperpeer-review

Published
Publication date2012
Host publicationAIST Steel Properties and Applications Conference Proceedings - Combined with MS and T'12, Materials Science and Technology 2012
Pages295-302
Number of pages8
<mark>Original language</mark>English
Event2012 AIST Steel Properties and Applications Conference, Held in Conjunction with the Materials Science and Technology 2012 Conference and Exhibition, MS and T 2012 - Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Duration: 7/10/201211/10/2012

Conference

Conference2012 AIST Steel Properties and Applications Conference, Held in Conjunction with the Materials Science and Technology 2012 Conference and Exhibition, MS and T 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPittsburgh, PA
Period7/10/1211/10/12

Conference

Conference2012 AIST Steel Properties and Applications Conference, Held in Conjunction with the Materials Science and Technology 2012 Conference and Exhibition, MS and T 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPittsburgh, PA
Period7/10/1211/10/12

Abstract

Recent work has demonstrated that bearing steels, which display ultra-hardness and -strength, possess a complex multiscalar microstructure responsible for their properties. This includes blocky retained austenite at the micron level, bainite subunits, and marteniste plates/laths at the submicron level, as well as a complex dispersion of precipitates in the range of tens of nanometres. The harmonious combination of those features leads both to excellent mechanical and rolling contact fatigue properties. This work reviews the microstructure-property relationships associated to those microstructures, and puts them in the context of a novel two-step bainitic treatment, which was demonstrated to display the highest hardness amongst a number of bainitically hardened steels studied. The phase transformations developed throughout the heat treatment of such steels is discussed, and an interpretation of the origin of their exceptional properties is provided.