Research progress and prospect of ultra-high strength and high toughness steel
1. The Development of Ultra-High Strength and High Toughness Steel
Ultra-high strength and high toughness steel can be divided into three categories according to its performance characteristics: conventional (C), quenched and tempered (Q&T), and grain refined (GR). Conventional ultra-high strength and high toughness steels are alloyed with elements such as manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum and vanadium to obtain an ultra-high strength level. The main advantages are improved strength, ductility and toughness, as well as improved weldability. Quenched and tempered ultra-high strength and high toughness steels add alloy elements such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and vanadium, and are then quenched and tempered to obtain ultra-high strength levels. Grain refinement ultra-high strength and high toughness steels are alloyed with these elements and also undergo grain refinement using special and often expensive processing techniques.
The development of ultra-high strength and high toughness steel has experienced three major stages: the heat-treatment stage, the strain hardening stage and the double heat treatment stage. In the heat-treatment stage, the steels are subjected to quenching and tempering or medium temperature tempering processes to obtain the desired properties. In the strain hardening stage, various cold-forming techniques such as rolling, drawing and stamping, are used to acquire ultra-high strength and high toughness steels. In the double heat treatment stage, a combination of quenching and low temperature tempering, as well as high temperature tempering are used for steels with improved fatigue resistance and strength.
2. The Research Progress of Ultra-High Strength and High-Toughness Steel
During the past ten years, researchers have adopted dozens of research directions in order to improve the properties, performance, and manufacturability of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steels. These include newly developed hot-forming processes, grain-refining processes, improved processing and structure control, modern alloying technology, and non-traditional methods.
Hot-forming technology is one of the most important research directions for the development of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steel. Through this research, the shape, structure and properties of the steel can be improved simultaneously. Several hot-forming processes have been developed, such as direct quenching and tempering forming, super-heating, hot-forging, innovative hot-forming, and billet heating treatment combined with hot-forming. In addition, new grain-refining methods have been developed such as electric field modification, electro-discharge processing, controlled cooling and intermediate heat-treatment, and electric pulse plastic welding. These methods are proven to be effective in the control of grain refinement, and the production of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steels.
Furthermore, advanced alloying technologies and advanced machining methods have been applied to the production of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steels. These include cold and hot processing methods, advanced alloying techniques such as thermo-mechanical processing, high pressure thermomechanical processing, and various heat treatments. In addition, non-traditional techniques such as laser surface processing, surface cold spraying, laser hardening, and spark plasma sintering have also been applied to the production of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steels.
3. Prospect of Ultra-High Strength and High Toughness Steel
In the short and long term, the study of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steels is expected to become more specialized and refined. Research will focus on further enhancing strength and toughness, and further improving the performance, reliability, durability and machinability of this type of steel.
In addition, there will be a continued effort to reduce costs while also improving performance capabilities. This could be done through refined industrial production processes as well as the development of more cost-effective high-toughness steel alloys. At the same time, research in the field of surface engineering aiming to improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of ultra-high strength and high-toughness steel is underway, which is expected to improve the quality and usability of this type of steel in many industrial applications.
From an industrial perspective, the application prospects for ultra-high strength and high-toughness steels are expected to expand to a larger range of industries. Specific applications include high-strength structural parts such as axles, couplings, gears and shafts in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries, which have particularly high-strength and high-toughness requirements. Other applications include power transmission components, bridges, offshore platforms and wind turbines requiring ultra-high strength and high-toughness properties.
In conclusion, ultra-high strength and high toughness steel has been and is currently being applied to many modern industrial and consumer uses. Its research progress and development trend have enabled the production of quality steel, while also reducing costs. The application prospects of this type of steel are promising and more comprehensive in nature, further lifting the performance and reliability of many products. Looking ahead, we expect to see continued and enhanced research activities in this area.
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