Effects of precipitates on strength and toughness of vanadium structural steels

AbstractThe effects of precipitates formed by the addition of vanadium, nitrogen, and aluminium on the strength and toughness in 0·15%C steels were studied by cooling suitable steels at varying rates from temperatures giving a constant austenite grain size. Yield strength increments resulting from precipitation were derived from the experimental results. Similar increments were produced by vanadium carbide (VC) and vanadium carbonitride (V(C,N)) and in each case a reduction in cooling rate resulted in reduced strengthening because of increased particle coarsening. In the presence of aluminium rather less strengthening was obtained from V(C,N) precipitates. No strengthening resulted from the presence of aluminium nitride (AIN) particles. When the carbon content of the steel is greatly in excess of the stoichiometric quantity, the carbonitride formed is relatively low in nitrogen and the yield strength increments caused by low nitrogen V(C,N) and VC are similar. Impact transition temperature increments resu...