Development of a new generation of quench and partitioning steels: Influence of processing parameters on texture, nanoindentation, and mechanical properties

A novel quenching and partitioning process (Q&P) including the hot stamping (HS) process was studied, using two stamping temperatures (750 °C and 800 °C) and two quenching temperatures (318 °C and 328 °C). This combination is here called Hot Stamping and Quenching and Partitioning process (HSQ&P). The partitioning step was performed at 400 °C for 100 s in all cycles. Microstructural features were comprehensively studied using electron backscattered diffraction and nanoindentation techniques. HSQ&P samples showed a good combination of ductility and high-strength due to the presence of: retained austenite, inter-critical ferrite with low stored internal strain energy, grain refinement via DIFT-effect (deformation induced ferrite transformation), martensite, and bainite. Significant internal stress relief was caused by carbon partitioning, which was induced by the DIFT-effect and the partitioning stage. This also led to a considerable stored energy, which was characterized by the Kernel average dislocation and geometrically necessary dislocation analysis. In addition, predominant {110}//strain direction crystallographic texture was identified, which promotes slip deformation and enhances the mechanical properties. Moreover, remarkable amounts of fine film-like retained austenite oriented along compact crystallographic directions (i.e., 〈111〉 and 〈112〉) were observed. Finally, subsize tensile test verified the optimum mechanical behavior of HSQ&P specimens.(OLD) MSE-

Response of ferrite, bainite, martensite, and retained austenite to a fire cycle in a fire-resistant steel

Understanding the kinetics of microstructural degradation during the event of a fire is of major relevance to future optimization of fire-resistant steels (FRS). In this work, we use in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction to assess the rapid thermally-assisted degradation of different starting microstructures, such as (i) ferrite + pearlite; (ii) bainite + retained austenite, and (iii) martensite + retained austenite, during the simulation of a fire cycle in a Fe-0.13C-0.11Cr-0.38Mo-0.04V FRS. Our results show that retained austenite is the most unstable phase, especially when generated by faster cooling rates, decomposing at temperatures as low as 180 °C during fire simulations. Bainite and martensite are both unstable and undergo recovery and carbon desaturation via secondary precipitation of cementite. However, bainite is comparatively more stable than martensite since its decomposition starts at 400 °C, while for martensite it occurs at 320 °C. We also present a methodology to deconvolute the effect of temperature on the increased background and signal intensities of the X-ray spectra, allowing the direct observation of the kinetics of secondary cementite precipitation

Biodiversidad en la cuenca del Orinoco. Bases científicas para la identificación de áreas prioritarias para la conservación y uso sostenible de la biodiversidad

Es un placer para el Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt presentar a la comunidad científica, conservacionista y autoridades ambientales de Colombia y Venezuela la obra Biodiversidad de la cuenca del Orinoco: bases científicas para la identificación de áreas prioritarias para la conservación y el uso sostenible de la biodiversidad. Este libro es fruto de un esfuerzo de una década de trabajo y recoge numerosos proyectos de carácter institucional que han venido desarrollándose en la Orinoquia, incluyendo el Plan de acción en biodiversidad para la cuenca del Orinoco (2005-2015), además de los resultados de reuniones técnicas de carácter binacional