Improvement of Mechanical Properties and Structure Modifications of Low Carbon Steel by Inoculations with Nano-Size Silicon Nitride

Abstract

AISI 1020 steel is considered to be one of the most applicable structural steels, in particular in the cold drawn form. Heating of this grade of steel prior to AC1 must have been applied to spheroidize the lamellar cementite, and consequently enhances the cold formability character of the steel. Si3N4 nanoinoculation of this grade of steel has been used in this study, where it is added to the molten steel, in order to avoid the high cost long term heat treatment process prior to cold deformation process. Optical microscopy and SEM have been used to evaluate the morphology of cementite after nanoinoculation process with Si3N4. Tensile properties of nanoinoculated steels have been investigated. Finally, wear adhesive resistance of investigated samples has been evaluated. The obtained results showed a great enhancement in the mechanical properties, strength, ductility and adhesive wear resistance, as a result of the nucleation of cementite into a new spheroidal phase and grain refinement by Si3N4 inoculation and allow usage of AISI 1020 steels inoculated by nanoinoculant Si3N4 in further technological applications.