Formation and growth of transition metal carbides in ferrite

Journal Article (2024)
Author(s)

R.J. Slooter (TU Delft - Team Marcel Sluiter)

Marcel Sluiter (TU Delft - Team Marcel Sluiter)

Winfried Kranendonk (Tata Steel Europe Limited)

C. Bos (Tata Steel Europe Limited, TU Delft - Team Erik Offerman)

Research Group
Team Marcel Sluiter
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2024.113097
More Info
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Publication Year
2024
Language
English
Research Group
Team Marcel Sluiter
Volume number
242
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Abstract

Carbide nano-precipitates are commonly used to improve mechanical properties of steel. It has been experimentally observed that TiC, NbC, and VC carbide precipitates initially form as ‘plate-like’ particles oriented in the {1 0 0} planes of the ferrite lattice. These platelets share similarities with Guinier-Preston zones in Al-Cu alloys. The clustering of group IV and V transition metal atoms (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta) in ferrite is studied using density functional theory. It is deduced that the transition metal carbides all form in a similar way. Furthermore, the transition from an initial M–C cluster to a NaCl-structured platelet to a NaCl-structured precipitate is examined through atomistic simulations using Modified Embedded Atom Method potentials. A route is established along which transition metal carbides form and transform into precipitates that possess the Baker-Nutting orientation relation with the ferrite matrix.