Modified Methodology for the Quench Temperature Selection in Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) Processing of Steels

Abstract

The original method to select the optimum quench temperature for quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processing aims to determine the quench temperature which yields a maximum volume fraction of retained austenite. In the present study, the original method was reviewed and refined by comparison with experimental results. The proposed methodology is based on the use of a modified Koistinen-Marburger equation for the kinetics of the athermal martensite transformation of steels containing C, Mn, Si, Cr, and B.