Effect of Alloying Elements on the Structural Phase State of Hadfield Steel

Abstract

This study examined the changes in the microstructure and phase composition of Hadfield steel depending on the content of the main elements Mn and C and the alloying elements Cr and V. Phase composition and fine structure of manganese steels were studied using X-ray diffraction analysis and electron diffraction using transmission electron microscopy. Samples of steel were undoped and were alloyed with Cr and V at a content of ∼0.4% and ∼1% by weight C and 6%–18% by weight Mn. The main phase of the steels, regardless of the Mn content, remained completely austenitic, and the introduction of Cr and V led to the expansion of the γ region. The average scalar density depended on the concentration of Mn, whereas Cr and V shifted the region of the ε phase toward a lower concentration of Mn and increased the content of the α phase.