Understanding the Phase Transformations of a Medium Manganese Steel as a Function of Carbon Content

Medium-manganese steels (5-12 wt%) are candidates for third-generation advanced high strength steel (AHSS). Potential applications for these steels are centered around the automotive industry due to their combination of high tensile strength, high tensile ductility, and low alloying cost. Previous studies at VT have been primarily focused on the effect of chemistry on mechanical properties with only a minor emphasis on microstructure. This led to a detailed investigation into the effect of carbon content on the microstructure of Fe8Mn2AlSiC alloys. Six different chemistries with carbon contents of 0.30, 0.34, 0.39, 0.44, 0.49 and 0.52 wt% were produced at the Kroehling Advanced Materials Foundry. After a variety of heat treatments, the samples were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), optical microscopy, and hardness testing. This thesis will discuss how the microstructure and hardness of these medium manganese steels is influenced by the carbon content.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Materials Science and Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Materials Science and Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Kalil, Andrew Jeffrey

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Druschitz, Alan P.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Reynolds, William T. Jr.
• Murayama, Mitsuhiro

• Medium Manganese Steel
• Phase Transformations

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:39475

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/118615