Effect of V Contents on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties in a Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo High-Strength Steel

Abstract

The effect of V contents (0, 0.03, 0.08 and 0.14%) on microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated in a Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo high-strength steel. Optical microscope (OM), electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) were used to observe the microstructure varying in this paper. The results show that the prior austenite grain was refined obviously as increasing V content. Simultaneously, the amount of acicular ferrite (AF) increased and the size of that decreased. In addition, the size of carbide gradually decreased with increasing V content, and there appeared M2C, M6C and MC types of carbide after addition of V in the steel, while it is mainly M23C6 in the 0V steel (M is any combination of Cr, Mo, V or Mn). The strength and elongation increased gradually as increasing V content, meanwhile the impact toughness decreased gradually. The excellent combination of mechanical properties can be obtained in the steel with about 0.03% V content.