Microstructure characterization of nanometer carbides heterogeneous precipitation in Ti–Nb and Ti–Nb–Mo steel

The influences of micro-alloying elements and hot deformation on the precipitation morphology of Ti–Nb and Ti–Nb–Mo steels were investigated. The nanometer sized carbide particles randomly dispersed in the ferrite matrix are attributed mainly to severe deformation at high temperature and low isothermal holding temperature. Of the two steels with different combinations of the micro-alloying elements, Ti–Nb and Ti–Nb–Mo, the steel with Ti–Nb–Mo was more effective in precipitating hardening due to its slower carbide coarsening rate. Based on observations of micrographs, the nano-sized TiMoC and TiNbC precipitated in polygonal ferrite grains when the Ti–Nb–Mo and Ti–Nb steels were isothermally treated at 650 °C for 3 min and 180 min. The smaller of the two carbides, TiMoC, precipitated in the ferrite grain, and the hardness of Ti–Nb–Mo steel was higher than that of Ti–Nb steel. Moreover, the tiny ferrite grains and high dislocation density in the Ti–Nb–Mo steel were found to provide an attractive combination of strength and toughness.