Boron Segregation Effects in Steel Microstructures
Summary
Boron at trace concentrations exerts a profound influence on the phase transformations, grain-boundary chemistry and mechanical performance of steels. When added in minute quantities, boron atoms migrate to austenitic grain boundaries during heat treatment, lowering the boundary energy and impeding the nucleation of ferrite. This segregation enhances hardenability by delaying the austenite-to-ferrite transformation and promotes the formation of martensitic or bainitic microstructures on quenching. In some alloys, boron also precipitates as carbo-borides at or near grain boundaries, further modifying the kinetics of transformation and influencing toughness, strength and resistance to cracking. Control of austenitisation temperature, cooling rate and complementary microalloying elements governs the extent of segregation, the size and distribution of boron-rich precipitates and the resultant microstructural stability. These effects underpin advances in high-strength pipeline steels, automotive components and wear-resistant steels, where tailored boron distribution can extend service life, improve weldability and provide cost-effective alternatives to more expensive alloying strategies.
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Boron Segregation Effects in Steel Microstructures publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in boron segregation effects in steel microstructures across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Austenite: Face-centred cubic phase of iron stable at elevated temperatures.
Ferrite: Body-centred cubic phase of iron that forms at lower temperatures.
Grain boundary segregation: Accumulation of solute atoms at the interfaces between crystallographic grains.
Carbo-boride precipitation: Formation of mixed boron-carbon compounds that nucleate at grain boundaries or within grains.
Hardenability: The ability of steel to form martensite upon quenching, measured by the depth and distribution of hardness achieved.
References
- Austenite grain boundary segregation and precipitation of boron in low-C steels and their role on the heterogeneous nucleation of ferrite. Acta Materialia (2023).
- Incompatible effects of B and B + Nb additions and inclusions' characteristics on the microstructures and mechanical properties of low-carbon steels. Materials Science and Engineering A (2021).
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