Effect of Intercritical Quenching Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Performance of Cr-Ni-Mo-V Steel with Banded Structure

The effects of intercritical quenching on the microstructure evolution and mechanical performance of Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel with a banded structure are studied. It is found that the intercritical quenching temperature has a significant effect on the morphology, distribution, and relative amount of ferrite/martensite, as well as the carbide precipitates upon tempering treatment. It is indicated that owing to the initial banded structure of Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel, the ferrite formation in intercritical heat treatment also exhibits a banded distribution. With the increase in quenching temperature, the proportion of ferrite in the Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel decreases from 30 ± 3.2 vol.% to 18 ± 2.8 vol.%. Tempering treatment has no significant effect on the distribution characteristics of ferrite, but it promotes the recovery of martensite laths and the precipitation of carbides. The mechanical properties of Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel are determined by both the changes in ferrite content induced by intercritical quenching and the evolution of carbide types during tempering. Delamination cracks are observed on the fracture surface, which is attributed to the lamellar microstructure, improving the plasticity of Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel through stress dispersion and a multi-stage energy absorption mechanism.