Casting properties of ASTM A128 Gr. E1 steel modified with Mn-alloying and titanium ladle treatment

Abstract

This work aims to produce a high manganese steel with more refined austenite grains and better wear resistance without sacrificing the toughness and tensile properties by Mn alloying and Ti ladle treatment in comparision to ASTM A128 Gr. E1 steel (1.0C-13Mn) that is mostly used in the mining industry. The 1.0C-17MnxTi alloys (x=0, 0.05 and 0.1, in wt.%) were prepared. A relationship was established between the microstructures and mechanical properties of the as cast and solution annealed alloys. Increasing Ti content increases the stable Ti(CN) phase on and beside the grain boundaries and decreases up to 37% the austenite grain size of the ascast alloy with 0.10wt.% Ti. Correspondingly, after solution annealed, optimized titanium content (0.05wt.%) results in significant improvements in wear resistance, hardness, elongation, yield and tensile strengths by 44%, 31%, 30%, 8% and 12%, respectively, except 9% decrease in impact toughness compared to ASTM A 128 Gr. E1 steel without modification. These results show that 1.0C-17Mn-0.05Ti alloy can be used for parts exposed to high load wear and applied in conditions where relatively high tensile properties with sufficent ductility is needed.

Keywords

• high manganese steel; hadfield steel; ladle treatment; grain refinement; microstructure; mechanical properties