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Journal of Electrochemical Science and Engineering, Vol. 13 No. 2, 2023.

Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.5599/jese.1638

Post-heat treatment of electrochemically carburized low-carbon steel

Chan On Sow orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-6964-6956 ; Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Wong Min Jin Karen orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-8960-1731 ; Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Saffuan Awg Bahrin ; Mechanical Engineering Department, Politeknik Kota Kinabalu, Jalan Politeknik, Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park, Kota Kinabalu 88460, Sabah, Malaysia
Bih Lii Chua orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-0134-2611 ; Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Gan Jet Hong Melvin orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-2056-0246 ; Centre of Research in Energy and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Nancy Julius Siambun orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-9415-3881 ; Centre of Research in Energy and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia

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Abstract

Limited studies are available on post-heat treatment (tempering/annealing) of electro­chemically carburized low-carbon steel, which can relieve internal stresses induced by the quenching process. In this study, the electrochemical carburization was carried out using the electrolyte mixture of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and sodium chloride (NaCl) under a CO2 gas environment and 800 °C. The samples were then quenched in either water or oil. The peak hardness of the water-quenched sample (WQ) was higher than the oil-quenched sample (OQ). Comparatively, post-heat treated (tempered and annealed) samples showed lower peak hardness compared to quenched samples. An optical microscope was used to observe microstructural changes, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine metal phases within all samples. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the martensite peak supported the stress relief in both tempered and annealed samples. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) was applied to determine the elemental composition of as received and electrochemically carburized and quenched low-carbon steel samples. The carbon content of the WQ sample was relatively higher than the OQ sample, whereas the tempered samples showed higher carbon content compared to the annealed samples, but both were lower than for quenched samples. Electrochemical carburization increased the carbon content and improved the hardness, while the tempering or annealing process relieved internal stresses that resulted in the hardness reduction.

Keywords

Steel; electrochemical carburization; molten salt; quenching; tempering; annealing

Hrčak ID:

294877

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/294877

Publication date:

1.3.2023.

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