Study of Short Times Tempering for AISI D2 Cold Work Tool Steel

Abstract

Short time tempering has been applied to steels to improve toughness keeping the hardness at the same level. For AISI D2 tool steel, typical thermal cycles are quench and temper. The austenitizing temperature is around 1040 ºC and the subsequent double tempering at temperatures close to 500 ºC, for 2 hours each, in order to get the maximum secondary hardness. The aim of the present work is to verify the effects of short time tempering in the AISI D2. For such purpose the Hollomon-Jaffe tempering parameter was used to determine the equivalent time at 600 and 700 °C, being 500 °C for 2 hours the standard temperature and time. The thermal cycles were carried out at a dilatometer. All the specimens were austenitized at 1040 °C followed by double tempering at: 500 and 700 °C for 2 hours each; and 500 °C, 600 °C, and 700 °C for 10 s and 1 min each. The dilatometric curves were analysed. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Vickers hardness were carried out to characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties. The short time tempering conducted at high temperatures led to the formation and growth of tempering carbides and to matrix recrystallization, which were responsible for greatly reducing the hardness of the material. The short time tempering up to the intermediate temperature of 600 ºC, for 1 minute or 10 seconds, produced results like the conventional tempering in microstructural and hardness terms, denoting that the Hollomon-Jaffe tempering parameter predictability close to the secondary hardness peak.