Characterisation of electric current-treated austenite using misorientation angle distributions in martensite

ABSTRACT

The angle misorientation distribution of martensite formed from electric current treated and non-treated austenite samples are studied using electron backscatter diffraction. The electric currents are pulsed with a loading width of 80 μs, at a frequency of 100 Hz and current density of 4.21 A/mm² supplied by a DC Voltage. The majority of angle misorientations are < 5° and exist within the martensite grains, while only a minority of all misorientations are derived from the prior austenite grain boundary and were found to lie in the range 20–50°. Distinct textures develop in both electric current treated and non-treated samples with increased quenching temperature. Analysis of the prior austenite shows reduced grains in the electric current treated samples at all quenching temperatures considered.

This paper is part of a themed issue on Materials in External Fields.

KEYWORDS:

• Martensite
• phase transformation
• misorientation angle distributions
• electropulsing
• austenite
• plain carbon rod

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are grateful for the joint support of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Tata Steel under [grant number 1322018].