Papers - Effect of Composition and Steelmaking Practice on Graphitization below the A1 of Eighteen One Per Cent Plain Carbon Steels (T.P. 1228)

It has long been known that plain high-carbon steels may be susceptible to graphiti-zation below the A1 critical, but no data have been available to indicate what factors cause and tend to inhibit graphite formation. Two recent publicationsl,2 have shown that the factors controlling graphitization below the A1 are different from those operating above the A1 inversion where commercial graphitization of malleable iron begins. Furthermore, for plain high-carbon steels graphitization below the critical point does not appear to be related to ordinary chemical analyses. Many years ago it was recorded3 that the rate of graphitization at subeutectoid temperature is not a maximum just below the A1 critical, but at some lower temperature, which Austin and Norris have shown to be about 670°C. Indeed, work done in our laboratory has demonstrated that it is impossible to spheroidize certain steels in the temperature range of 650° to 710°C. without the formation of considerable amounts of graphite. However, if the temperature is maintained just below the A1 (720°C.) these same steels may be completely sphe-roidized at constant temperature. In previous studiesl,2,4 on I per cent plain carbon steels graphitization was encountered during prolonged tempering. The limited number of steels studied did not provide sufficiellt data to permit adequate study of the factors controlling this graphitization. Accordingly, a limited statistical investigation was undertaken, utilizing 18 steels of similar chemical analyses, furnished by four steel companies, who also supplied information regarding the history of manufacture. An extensive program of research is being carried out on these steels, including the effect of pretreatment and atmosphere on the nature and extent of graphitization, and the possible correlation of graphitization with such characteristic properties as hardenability, grain size and mechanical behavior. In the present paper discussion is restricted to a study of the correlation between graphitizing tendency at 670°C. after quenching from several temperatures above the critical, and (I) the minor variations in the chemistry of these steels of "similar" chemical composition, and (2) the deoxida-tion practice employed. The state of the lead bath, oxidized or protected from oxidation by charcoal, used in the tempering treatments is also considered. Materials Eighteen plain carbon steels of about I per cent carbon, and containing similar amounts of each of the other common elements usually found as impurities, were obtained in the form of rods % in, in diameter from four steel manufacturers. The analyses for ordinary and special elements of all the steels were made on the rod stock as received in the laboratory, and the re-