Recently, automobile parts have been required to have high strength and toughness to allow for weight lightening or improved stability. But, traditional micro-alloyed steel cannot be applied in automobile parts. In this study, we considered the influence of quenching temperature and cooling rate for specimens fabricated by vacuum induction furnace. Directly quenched micro-alloyed steel for hot forging can be controlled according to its micro structure and the heat-treatment process. Low carbon steel, as well as alloying elements for improvement of strength and toughness, was used to obtain optimized conditions. After hot forging at 1,200˚C, the ideal mechanical properties (tensile strength ≥ 1,000 MPa, Charpy impact value ≥ 100 J/cm2) can be achieved by using optimized conditions (quenching temperature : 925 to 1,050˚C, cooling rate : ≥ 5˚C/sec). The difference of impact value according to cooling rate can be influenced by the microstructure. A fine lath martensite micro structure is formed at a cooling rate of over 5˚C/sec. On the other hand, the second phase of the M-A constituent microstructure is the cause of crack initiation under the cooling rate of 5˚C/sec.

Twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steels have attracted great attention due to their excellent mechanical properties of high tensile strength (over 800MPa) and high ductility (over 50%), which result from the high strain hardening due to the mechanical twin formation during plastic deformation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of annealing temperature and alloying elements on the mechanical properties of Fe-18Mn-0.6C TWIP steel. In 1.5%Al TWIP steel with 0.123%Ti content, the average recrystallized grain size was reduced to 2.5 μm by cold rolling and annealing at 800˚C for 5 min, because of the pinning effect of the fine TiC carbides on grain coarsening. The tensile strength was decreased and the ductility was improved with the increase of the annealing temperature. However, a reversion of hardness and yield strength happened between 750˚C and 800˚C due to TiC and M3C type precipitation. 0.56% Ni added TWIP steel exhibited relatively lower yield strength, because Ni precipitates were not formed during the annealing process. When this specimen was annealed at 800˚C for 5min, the tensile strength and elongation were revealed at 1096MPa and 61.8%, respectively.

The hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of high strength TRIP/TWIP steels with the tensile strength of 600Mpa to 900Mpa grade was investigated using cathodically hydrogen charged specimens. TWIP steels with full austenite structure show a lower hydrogen content than do TRIP steels. The uniform distribution of strong traps throughout the matrix in the form of austenite is considered beneficial to reduce the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of TWIP steels. Moreover, an austenite structure with very fine deformation twins formed during straining could also improve the ductility and reduce notch sensitivity. In Ubend and deep drawing cup tests, TWIP steels show a good resistance to hydrogen embrittlement compared with TRIP steels.

본 연구는 제조공정을 달리한 0.14C-6.5Mn강을 2상영역에서 역변태처리 하였을 때 다량의 잔류오스테나이트를 생성시키기 위한 열처리 조건을 제시하고 잔류오스테나이트의 생성과 관련하여 미세조직 관찰, C, Mn의 분배거동 및 기계적성질을 조사하였다. 잔류오스테나이트는 역변태처리시 오스테나이트내에 C, Mn의 확산으로 농축되어 안정화되며 연성향상에 크게 기여한다. 30%이상의 잔류오스테나이트를 확보하기 위해서는 6457에서 역변태처리하는 것이 효과적이지만, 잔류오스테나이트의 부피 분율과 기계적안정성을 고려하면 620˚C에서 열처리하는 것이 바람직하다. 냉연재의 강도.연성조합값은 3강종 모두 620˚C에서 1시간 역변태처리한 경우 4000kg/mm2정도로 매우 우수하지만 고온에서는 연성감소로 인하여 그 값이 현저하게 저하하였다. 0.14C-6.5Mn계 TRIP강에서 잔류오스테나이트 생성과 기계적성질에 미치는 1.1%Si 첨가효과는 매우 미약하였다.