Influence of the carburization time on the structural and mechanical properties of XC20 steel
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Date
2021-08-21
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Abstract
This study focuses on the effect of carburization time on the structural and mechanical properties of
low carbon XC20 mild steel (C. Wt.%<0.25). The XC20 steel was carburized with activated carbon
with a carbon potential Cp1=1.1%, at 910 °Cat different carburization times of 2, 4 and 6 h. The
results obtained show that XC20 steel (non-carburized) has a ferrite-pearlitic structure with a hardness
and a Young’s modulus of the order of (150 HV, 26KN/mm2). After carburization, the structure of
the carburized layer is transformed in martensite (Fe γ) in which cementite (Fe3C) is imbricated. The
depth of the carburized layer and the amount of carbon on the surface gradually increase with
increasing carburization time. In addition, the carburized XC20 steel becomes hard and brittle where
the hardness and Young’s modulus have been increased for a high holding time until reaching
maximum values (845 HV, 48KNmm−2) after 6 h of carburization . However, the toughness of XC20
steel has been reduced from 163 to 40 J cm−2.