Effect of Heat Treatment on Delayed Fracture Resistance of High Strength Steel 30CrMnSi2NiNb

The steel specimens of nominal composition 0.3C-1.0Cr-1.0Mn-2.0Si-1.0Ni-0.04Nb were quenched and tempered or isothermally quenched from various temperatures. It is found that the steel quenched and tempered with a tensile strength of 1 500-1 600 MPa has a KISCC (critical stress intensity factor) value below 15.0 MPa*m1/2. The steel isothermally quenched with a tensile strength of 1 350-1 750 MPa has a KISCC value about 20.0 MPa*m1/2. In addition, with increase of isothermal quenching temperature, the tensile strength decreases greatly and KISCC value does not pronouncedly change. The microstructure of isothermally quenched specimens is composed of bainite and retained austenite. The delayed fracture resistance is dependent on the stability of austenite, which is in turn related to the retained austenite volume fraction and carbon content in austenite.