Effects of Q&P Processing Conditions on Austenite Carbon Enrichment Studied by In Situ High-Energy X-ray Diffraction Experiments

We report the first ultra-fast time-resolved quantitative information on the quenching and partitioning process of conventional high-strength steel by an in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) experiment. The time and temperature evolutions of phase fractions, their carbon content, and internal stresses were determined and discussed for different process parameters. It is shown that the austenite-to-martensite transformation below the martensite start temperature Ms is followed by a stage of fast carbon enrichment in austenite during isothermal holding at both 400 and 450 °C. The analysis proposed supports the concurrent bainite transformation and carbon diffusion from martensite to austenite as the main mechanisms of this enrichment. Furthermore, we give evidence that high hydrostatic tensile stresses in austenite are produced during the final quenching, and must be taken into account for the estimation of the carbon content in austenite. Finally, a large amount of carbon is shown to be trapped in the microstructure.