The microstructures and mechanical properties of Dual Phase (DP), Transformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP), and Quenching & Partitioning (Q&P) steels were investigated in order to define the strengthening mechanism of 0.2 C steel. An intercritical annealing between Ac1 and Ac3 was conducted to produce DP and TRIP steel, followed by quenching the DP and TRIP steel being quenched at to room temperature and by the TRIP steel being austemperingaustempered-air cooling cooled the steel toat room temperature, respectively. The Q&P steel was produced from full austenization, followed by quenching to the temperature between Ms and Mf, and then enriching the carbon to stabilize the austenite throughout the heat treatment. For the DP and TRIP steels, as the intercritical annealing temperature increased, the tensile strength increased and the elongation decreased. The strength variation was due to the amount of hard phases, i.e., martensite and bainite, respectively in the DP and TRIP steels. It was also found that the elongation also decreased with the amount of soft ferrite in the DP and TRIP steels and with the amount of the that was retained in the austenite phasein the TRIP steel, respectively for the DP and TRIP steels. For the Q&P steel, as the partitioning time increased, the elongation and the tensile strength increased slightly. This was due to the stabilized austenite that was enriched with carbon, even when the amount of retained austenite decreased as the partitioning time increased from 30 seconds to 100 seconds.

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.