Evaluation of Toughness in AISI 4340 Alloy

Steel Austenitized at Low and High

Temperatures
ROBERT O. RITCHIE, BENJAMIN FRANCIS, AND WILLIAM L. SERVER

It has been r e p o r t e d for a s - q u e n c h e d AISI 4340 s t e e l that high t e m p e r a t u r e a u s t e n i t i z i n g

t r e a t m e n t s at 1200~ i n s t e a d of c o n v e n t i o n a l h e a t - t r e a t m e n t at 870~ r e s u l t in a two-
fold increase in f r a c t u r e toughness, Ktc , but a dec~'ease in Charpy i m p a c t e n e r g y . This
p a p e r s e e k s to find an explanation for this d i s c r e p a n c y in Charpy and f r a c t u r e toughness
data in t e r m s of the d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n Kic and i m p a c t t e s t s . It is shown that the ob-
s e r v e d b e h a v i o r is independent of s h e a r lip e n e r g y and s t r a i n r a t e effects, but can be r a -
t i o n a l i z e d i n t e r m s of the d i f f e r i n g r e s p o n s e of the s t r u c t u r e produced by each a u s t e n i -
t i z i n g t r e a t m e n t to the i n f l u e n c e of notch root r a d i u s on t o u g h n e s s . The m i c r o s t r u c t u r a l
f a c t o r s which affect this b e h a v i o r a r e d i s c u s s e d . Based on these and other o b s e r v a t i o n s ,
it is c o n s i d e r e d that the use of high t e m p e r a t u r e a u s t e n i t i z i n g be q u e s t i o n e d as a p r a c t i -
cal h e a t - t r e a t m e n t p r o c e d u r e for u l t r a h i g h strength, low alloy s t e e l s . F i n a l l y , it i s sug-
gested that e v a l u a t i o n of m a t e r i a l t o u g h n e s s should not be b a s e d solely on Kic or Charpy
i m p a c t e n e r g y v a l u e s alone; both s h a r p c r a c k f r a c t u r e toughness and rounded notch i m -
pact e n e r g y t e s t s a r e r e q u i r e d .

R E C E N T r e s e a r c h ~ into the influence of a u s t e n i t i z i n g include a c o n t r i b u t i o n f r o m plane s t r e s s , s h e a r lip

t r e a t m e n t on the m e c h a n i c a l p r o p e r t i e s of a s - q u e n c h e d f o r m a t i o n . The f r a c t u r e t o u g h n e s s test, on the other
( u n t e m p e r e d ) AISI 4340 s t e e l has shown that c o m p a r e d hand, m e a s u r e s a c r i t i c a l value of the s t r e s s i n t e n s i t y
to c o n v e n t i o n a l a u s t e n i t i z i n g at 870~ i n c r e a s i n g the (K) at the c r a c k tip n e c e s s a r y to c a u s e plane s t r a i n
a u s t e n i t i z i n g t e m p e r a t u r e to 1200~ can r a i s e the u n s t a b l e f r a c t u r e . In a t e s t - p i e c e of v a l i d t h i c k n e s s , 5
plane s t r a i n f r a c t u r e toughness (Kic) by a f a c t o r of this value will be v i r t u a l l y i n d e p e n d e n t of s h e a r lip
two (without r e d u c t i o n i n yield s t r e n g t h ) . However, f o r m a t i o n . 2) The s t r a i n r a t e in an i m p a c t t e s t is
c o n c u r r e n t with this improvement in Kic t h e r e is an s e v e r a l o r d e r s of m a g n i t u d e g r e a t e r than in a Kic
u n e x p l a i n e d and p e r p l e x i n g re&wtion i n the Charpy i m - t e s t . In fact, when e x p r e s s e d in t e r m s of r a t e of i n -
pact e n e r g y . The s a m e effect has b e e n r e p o r t e d for c r e a s e in s t r e s s i n t e n s i t y at the notch tip (/~), /s for
B r i t i s h N i - C r - M o and N i - C r - M o - V s t e e l s , 2 43403, 4 and i m p a c t ( " d y n a m i c " ) t e s t i n g is of the o r d e r of 105- 106
300M 3 s t e e l s , in both a s - q u e n c h e d and quenched and MPa~--mm~s c o m p a r e d with <3 MPa~mm/s for ( " s t a t i c " )
t e m p e r e d (<350~ conditions. Since Kic and the Kic t e s t s . 3) T h e r e is a m a r k e d d i f f e r e n c e in the root
Charpy i m p a c t e n e r g y a r e both m e a s u r e s of m a t e r i a l r a d i u s (p) of the s t r e s s c o n c e n t r a t o r i n the two t e s t s .
t o u g h n e s s , it a p p e a r s p a r a d o x i c a l that high t e m p e r a - Charpy t e s t - p i e c e s contain a V-notch (p ~- 0.25 mm),
t u r e a u s t e n i t i z i n g gives the g r e a t e r t o u g h n e s s when w h e r e a s Kic t e s t - p i e c e s contain a fatigue p r e c r a c k
r a t e d by Kic , while low t e m p e r a t u r e a u s t e n i t i z i n g (P ~ 0).
gives the g r e a t e r t o u g h n e s s when r a t e d by Charpy i m - It is the p u r p o s e of this p a p e r to offer an e x p l a n a -
pact e n e r g y . In the face of this conflicting e v a l u a t i o n tion of the c o n t r a d i c t o r y t o u g h n e s s r e s u l t s r e p o r t e d
of toughness, it is t e m p t i n g for the s c i e n t i s t to s i m p l y for the 4340 alloy, i n the light of these b a s i c d i f f e r -
adopt the r e s u l t s of the Kic t e s t and d i s r e g a r d the r e - e n c e s , with the b e l i e f that this e x p l a n a t i o n m a y have
s u l t s of the Charpy t e s t as " i n a d e q u a t e " , s i n c e it is no considerably broader application.
doubt t r u e that the Kic test is b a s e d on a t h e o r e t i c a l
foundation of g r e a t e r solidity than is the Charpy i m -
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
pact t e s t . In r e a l i t y , however, the c o n t r a d i c t o r y r e -
s u l t s of the two t e c h n i q u e s for m e a s u r i n g t o u g h n e s s The material used in the investigation was aircraft
a p p e a r to be a r e a l p h e n o m e n o n and a r e indeed a n i n - quality (vacuum-arc remelted) AISI 4340 hot-rolled
d i c a t i o n of i m p o r t a n t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n f r a c t u r e i n - bar, received in the fully annealed condition, and hav-
duced by s h a r p (Kic) and blunt (Charpy) notches. ing the following composition (wt pct):
T h e s e d i f f e r e n c e s m a y be s u m m a r i z e d as follows: 1)
C Mn Cr Ni Mo Si S P Cu
the Charpy t e s t m e a s u r e s the e n e r g y r e q u i r e d to cause
complete f a i l u r e of the s p e c i m e n and t h e r e f o r e will 0.40 0.80 0.72 1.65 0.24 0.24 0.010 0.004 0.19

TWO heat-treatments were studied: i) the conventional

ROBERT O. RITCHIEis Miller Research Fellow and Visiting Lec- austenitizing treatment of 1 h at 870~ followed by an
turer, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,and Molecular oil quench and 2) the heat-treatment, recommended by
and Materials Research Division,Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Uni-
Lai et al, I of 1 h at 1200~ followed by a salt quench
versity of Cahfornla, Berkeley, CA 94720 BENJAMINFRANCIS is
Assistant Professor, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711. to 870~ for 1/2 h, then oil quenching to room temper-
WILLIAM L. SERVER, formerly with Effects Technology, Inc., Santa ature. The structures obtained by these heat-treat-
Barbara, CA, is now Vice President, Fracture Control Corporation, ments are hereafter referred to as the 870~ and the
Goleta, CA 93017. 1200-870~ structures respectively.
Manuscript submitted September 25, 1975. The ambient temperature (22~ uniaxial tensile

METALLURGICAL TRANSACTIONSA VOLUME 7A, JUNE 1976-831

 Table I. Ambient Temperature Longitudinal Tensile Properties for Alloy AISI 4340 in the Oil Quenched Condition (after Lai et al l)

0,2 Pct Ultimate Tensile

Proof Stress Strength Reductmn m Prior AusteruteGram
AustemtmngTemperature,~ ksl MPa ksl MPa Elongatmn.Pct Area.Pct True Fracture Strata Size.,am
1200-870 231 1593 318 2193 32 78 0 07 254 to 360
870 231 1593 322 2217 O.O 30.8 0 18 24 to 32

p r o p e r t i e s and p r i o r a u s t e n i t e g r a i n s i z e s f o r t h e s e
s t r u c t u r e s a r e shown in T a b l e I. T o u g h n e s s p r o p e r t i e s Table II. Ambient Temperature Longitudinal Toughness Properties for Alloy
w e r e m e a s u r e d u s i n g C h a r p y V - n o tc h i m p a c t t e s t s , AISI 4340 in the Oil Quenched Condition
p l a n e s t r a i n ( " s t a t i c " ) f r a c t u r e t o u g h n e s s (KIc) t e s t s ,
and d y n a m i c f r a c t u r e t o u g h n e s s (Kid) t e s t s . C h a r p y Dynamic
impact energies were determined using standard sized Austenltmng CharpyV-Notch Plane Strata Fracture Fracture
Temperature, hnpact Energy Toughness, Kit Toughness,Kld
(10 m m sq) ASTM C h a r p y V-notch s p e c i m e n s , 6 b r o k e n
in a pendulum type i m p a c t m a c h i n e of h a m m e r v e l o c i t y ~ ft lb J ksl-fn- MPax/'m ksix/~-n.MPa,fm
3.3 m / s . Kic v a l u e s w e r e d e t e r m i n e d in a c c o r d a n c e 1200-870 5A* 7 32 63.8* 70 I 54.2 59 6
with ASTM s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , 5 u s i n g 15.4 m m thick CTS 6 0* 8 13 66.6* 73 2 48.8 53 7
t e s t - p i e c e s . A l l Klc v a l u e s w e r e found to be " v a l i d " 50 6 78 61 2* 67 2
20 271
a c c o r d i n g to this s p e c i f i c a t i o n . Kid d a t a w e r e d e t e r - 60 8i3
m i n e d u s i n g f at i g u e p r e c r a c k e d s t a n d a r d C h a r p y
s p e c i m e n s 7 b r o k e n u s i n g an i n s t r u m e n t e d (Dynatup) 870 7.5* 1020 3I l* 34 2 366 40.3
6.1" 8.27 39 0* 42.9 30.0 33 0
C h a r p y i m p a c t m a c h i n e at a h a m m e r v e l o c i t y of 1.36
75 10.20 32 3* 35 5 33.3 36 6
m / s . T h e c o m p l e t e e x p e r i m e n t a l p r o c e d u r e f o r dy-
n a m i c Kid t e s t i n g has b e e n d e s c r i b e d e l s e w h e r e . ~ *After Lalet aL
T e s t - p i e c e s f o r a l l e x p e r i m e n t s w e r e m a c h i n e d in the
longitudinal ( L - T ) o r i e n t a t i o n .
than 4 pct. It i s concluded that f r a c t u r e s in both
C h a r p y and Kic t e s t s o c c u r r e d u n d e r fully p l an e s t r a i n
RESULTS
conditions, and t h e r e f o r e the c o n t r i b u t i o n f r o m s h e a r
The a m b i e n t t e m p e r a t u r e (22~ t o u g h n e s s p r o p e r - lip f o r m a t i o n can be e l i m i n a t e d as an e x p l a n a t i o n f o r
t i e s f o r both s t r u c t u r e s a r e shown in T a b l e II. Two the d i f f e r e n c e in C h a r p y and Kic t e s t r e s u l t s .
i m p o r t a n t f e a t u r e s a r e shown by t h e s e data: 1) As
o r i g i n a l l y r e p o r t e d by L a i et al, ~ the 1200-870~ s t r u c -
2) S t r a i n R a t e E f f e c t s
t u r e has superior KIc but inferior C h a r p y v a l u e s , with
r e s p e c t to the 870~ s t r u c t u r e . T h e d i f f e r e n c e in T h e r e is always a p o s s i b i l i t y when c o m p a r i n g
C h a r p y v a l u e s is, h o w e v e r , s m a l l . 2) Both Kic and Kid C h a r p y i m p a c t and KIc v a l u e s that the h i g h e r s t r a i n
r e s u l t s show the 1200-870~ s t r u c t u r e to be the r a t e of the i m p a c t t e s t ( ~ 1 0 1 - 102 s -1 c o m p a r e d to
t o u g h e r , although t h e r e is s o m e r e d u c t i o n in the dy- ~10 -4 s "1 in s t a t i c t e s t s ) m a y induce a change in f r a c -
n a m i c v a l u e s due to the h i g h e r s t r a i n r a t e . t u r e m e c h a n i s m t h r o u g h an i n c r e a s e in the d u c t i l e /
In the following p a r a g r a p h s we now c o n s i d e r t h e s e brittle transition temperature.
r e s u l t s in t e r m s of the b a s i c d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n the In the p r e s e n t r e s u l t s , it m i g h t be e x p e c t e d that the
C h a r p y and f r a c t u r e t o u g h n e s s t e s t s , as s u m m a r i z e d t r a n s i t i o n t e m p e r a t u r e would be h i g h e r f o r the 1200-
above. 870~ s t r u c t u r e b e c a u s e of the l a r g e r g r a i n s i z e .
Thus, i n c r e a s e d s t r a i n r a t e m a y shift the t r a n s i t i o n
t e m p e r a t u r e of the 1200-870~ s t r u c t u r e above r o o m
1) S h e a r L ip E f f e c t s
t e m p e r a t u r e in the C h a r p y t e s t , w h i l s t l e a v i n g the
It is w e l l known that the s h e a r lip p o r t i o n of the t r a n s i t i o n t e m p e r a t u r e of the 870~ s t r u c t u r e be l ow
f r a c t u r e d s u r f a c e of a C h a r p y t e s t - p i e c e r e q u i r e s r o o m t e m p e r a t u r e . T h i s would r e s u l t in a low C h a r p y
m o r e e n e r g y p e r unit a r e a to f r a c t u r e than d o e s the i m p a c t e n e r g y f o r the 1200-870~ s t r u c t u r e .
f l a t p o r t i o n . T h e r e f o r e , a s i g n i f i c a n t i n c r e a s e in the Scanning e l e c t r o n m i c r o s c o p y of f r a c t u r e s u r f a c e s
p r o p o r t i o n of plane s t r e s s s h e a r lips in the 870~ of both C h a r p y and Kic t e s t - p i e c e s , h o w e v e r , showed
s t r u c t u r e , o v e r that of the 1200-870~ s t r u c t u r e , could that the f r a c t u r e m e c h a n i s m s w e r e i d e n t i c a l in both
p o s s i b l y a c c o u n t f o r the s m a l l i m p r o v e m e n t in C h a r p y t e s t s f o r a g i v en s t r u c t u r e . F a i l u r e in both C h a r p y
e n e r g y of the 870~ s t r u c t u r e . * E x a m i n a t i o n of the and KIc t e s t - p i e c e s o c c u r r e d by q u a s i c l e a v a g e and
f i b r o u s r u p t u r e in the 870~ s t r u c t u r e , and by i n t e r -
*In viewof the fact that the yxeldstrengths of the two structures were identi- g r a n u l a r and f i b r o u s f r a c t u r e in the 1200-870~ s t r u c -
cal, and that the Kic for the 870~ structure was lessthan for the 1200-870~ t u r e ( F i g . 1). Si n ce f o r a given h e a t - t r e a t m e n t the
structure, one wouldnot expect suchan increase. f r a c t u r e m e c h a n i s m s , at both high and low s t r a i n
r a t e s , a r e the s a m e , change of m e c h a n i s m can be
b r o k e n C h a r p y t e s t - p i e c e s , h o w e v e r , c o n f i r m e d that e l i m i n a t e d as an ex p l an at i o n f o r the c o n t r a d i c t o r y
t h e r e was no m e a s u r a b l e d i f f e r e n c e in the s h e a r lip toughness results.
a r e a f o r the two s t r u c t u r e s . In fact, the p r o p o r t i o n of T h e r e is an a d d i t i o n a l p o s s i b i l i t y that a s t r a i n r a t e
s h e a r lip a r e a f o r both s t r u c t u r e s w a s a l w a y s l e s s e f f e c t could o c c u r without change in f r a c t u r e m e c h a -

832-VOLUME 7A, JUNE 1976 METALLURGICAL TRANSACTIONS A