High-temperature hardness in hypereutectoid steels with various microstructures measured by using small ball rebound hardness test

Abstract

The temperature dependence of hardness in hypereutectoid steels with various microstructures was measured by using the small ball rebound hardness test, and the effect of carbon state on the high-temperature hardness was discussed. As-received and spheroidized cementite steels consisted of spheroidized cementite, graphite and ferrite matrix, and the volume fraction of graphite in the spheroidized cementite steel was larger than that in the as-received steel. Pearlite steel had ferrite and cementite lamellar structure without graphite. The characteristic hardening was detected above 700 K in all steels, suggesting that the solid solute carbon enhances the hardness even in hypereutectoid steels with high strength. The pearlite steel exhibited the highest hardness owing to the ferrite and cementite lamellar structure and no graphite. While the spheroidized cementite steel exhibited the lowest hardness, although the size of cementite was finer than that in the as-received steel. It was quantitatively demonstrated that the large volume fraction of graphite caused the low hardness in the spheroidized cementite steel.