Influence of Integrated HIP Heat Treatments on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a PM Tool Steel: Experiment and Simulation

申请人之前的研究活动，包括DFG资助的研究项目，研究了压力对几种金属合金系统微观结构演变的影响。通过建立在现有知识的基础上，该项目旨在揭示和利用与热处理集成到高合金工具钢的热等静压相关的工艺-结构-性能关系。这些复杂的多相材料是特别有趣的主题，因为它们的技术轴承和潜在的微观和宏观热机械性能。通过产生目标微观结构状态并通过图像分析和体视学技术对其进行调查，将研究过程-结构联系。另一方面，结构-性能关系将通过广泛的机械测试来揭示。这些努力的核心是最先进的实验室设备：一种新型的均匀快速淬火热等静压机，能够部署复杂的温度和压力曲线，将在集成的固结-热处理过程中设置目标微观结构。扫描和透射电子显微镜将提供所需的分辨率，以确定和描述目前的微观结构演变。此外，循环和准静态力学性能选定的微观结构状态将进行调查。这些包括高分辨率的测试和表征方法，揭示了否则无法检测的微观结构特征，并允许分析微观结构和性能之间的相关性。热动力学模拟将支持这一实验发现的努力，以提供更深入的了解主动机制，同时提供一种手段，追求微观结构设计。

Previous research activities by the applicants, including research projects funded by the DFG, investigated the effects of pressure on the microstructural evolution of several metallic alloy systems. By building upon prior knowledge, this project aims to uncover and utilize the process-structure-property relationships associated with heat treatments integrated into hot isostatic pressing of high-alloy tool steels. These complex multiphase materials are particularly interesting as a subject matter because of their technological bearing and underlying micro and macro thermomechanical properties. Process-structure links will be studied by generating targeted microstructural states and investigating them through image anaylsis and stereological techniques. Structure-property relationships, on the other hand, will be uncovered by extensive mechanical testing. At the heart of these efforts is state-of-the-art laboratory equipment: A novel uniform rapid quenching hot isostatic press, capable of deploying complex temperature and pressure profiles, will set the target microstructures in an integrated consolidation-heat treatment process. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy will provide the required resolution to identify and describe the present microstructural evolutions. In addition, cyclic and quasi-static mechanical properties of selected microstructural states will be investigated. These include high-resolution testing and characterization methods that reveal otherwise undetectable microstructural features and allow analysis of the correlation between microstructure and properties. Thermokinetic simulations will support this experimental discovery effort to provide deeper insights into the active mechanisms while delivering a means to pursue microstructure design.