National Institute of Technology

Warangal
Deptt. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
INTRODUCTION
The application of deep cryogenic treatment (DCT)
has found its way into many fields of mechanical
engineering.
this kind of treatment improves the material
properties, especially the wear resistance for different
types of tool and stainless steels.
shallow cryogenic treatment, in which the material is
cooled to about −80 ◦C, DCT involves the
transformation of retained austenite into martensite.
The influence of five parameters on the mechanical
properties and the wear resistance-austenitizing
temperature, cooling rate from room temperature to
the cryogenic temperature, holding time at the
cryogenic temperature, heating rate from the
cryogenic temperature to room temperature, and
tempering temperature.
The use of cobalt in high speed steels is very
important for hot hardness. Co does not act as carbide
former, but enters in solid solution into the matrix. It
raises the solidus temperature, allowing higher
hardening temperature to be used and promoting
carbide solution.
This would promote higher amount of retained
austenite after quenching, but Co decreases its
stability allowing reduced amount of this phase by
increasing %Co. Negative results of cobalt addition are
claimed to be reduced toughness and wear resistance.
the wear resistance, improvement only, if compared
to that obtained after a deep cryogenic treatment
(DCT) carried out at lower temperatures, i.e., in liquid
nitrogen (-196°C).

the microstructure after tempering is more

homogeneous, because secondary carbides result
smaller and more evenly distributed
GENESIS
Sub Zero Processing for Tool Steels up to – 40 oC
Improve Dimensional Stability
Eliminate Retained Austenite
NEED FOR SUB ZERO PROCESSING

Unstable / Quasi Stable / Meta Stable Phases

Developed during Hardening

Instabilities Developed During Manufacturing

Process

Eliminate Hardness Drop during Tempering

DEEP SUB ZERO TECHNOLOGY
Operation at low temperatures (-195OC)
Long Residence times for homogenization
Slow cooling and heating rates
THEORY
Deep Sub Zero Processing based on Third Law of
Thermodynamics
Stress Relieving at Atomic Level
Elimination of Point & Line Defects
Low Temperature Provides adequate G for
transformation
THEORY
Steels hardened by precipitation of dispersed phase
due to instability in parent phase
Solutionising for homogenisation of phases
Deep Sub zero processing for uniform precipitation of
nuclei
Finish tempering for growth of precipitate phase
RETAINED AUSTENITE
Incomplete Austenite -- Martensite Transformation
Increase with
Increased Alloy content
Higher Hardening Temperature
Longer Soaking Times
TEMPERING
Reheating to relieve inherent stresses
Prevent Cracking
Transform Retained Austenite -- Martensite
Immediately after hardening
Microstructure consists of
Tempered Martensite / Martensite
Carbides / Retained Austenite
WHY DEEP SUB ZERO PROCESSING
Minimize Retained Austenite
Improves Toughness with no change in Tensile
Properties
Hardness Profile Correction
EXPERIMENTALS
The composition of the high speed steels investigated is
reported in Table. Two wrought steels, namely an HS6-5-2
(AISIM2) and HS6-5-2-5 (AISI M35) and two PM steels,
HS6-5-3 and HS6-5-3-8 were selected.
HS6-5-2-5 represents a variant of the base M2 containing
about 5%Co, the element promoting hot hardness.
Standard vacuum heat treatment (3T) followed,
comprising austenitizing, gas quenching in 5bars nitrogen
(Q) and triple tempering (3T), 2 hours each. Slow cooling
down to about -180°C and soaking for 24 hours was
performed by using a cryogenic processor.
An apparent fracture toughness Ka was determined in
standard Charpy (10x10x55mm3) specimens.

Nominal composition of the steels investigated

(W=wrought, PM=Powder Metallurgy).
List of the heat treatments (Q=quenching,
T=tempering, C=Deep Cryogenic treatment
RESULTS
the microstructure of HS6-5-2-5 is compared to that
of the PM HS6-5-3 .
The hardness values of the steels after conventional
heat treatment evidence the influence of Co, allowing
higher HRC and HV30 to be observed.
Microstructure of a) HS6-5-2-5 and
b,c) HS6-5-3 (Nital 2%) (SEM, BSE)
Apparent fracture toughness
The toughness test of HSS material determined using
EDM notched specimens always evidenced a brittle
fracture process.
The apparent fracture toughness displays a general
decrease by increasing hardness.
Apparent fracture toughness Ka vs. HV30 hardness.
experimental points allow to conclude that DCT
causes a general increase in toughness in Co-free
grades, a decrease being always observed for the other
two Co-containing grades.
Even if the influence of Co seems to be mostly
correlated to its influence on hardness, it is believed
that is would also exert an influence of microstructure.
This assumption is confirmed by HS6-5-3-8, the grade
containing the highest %Co.
Wear resistance
HS6-5-3 showing considerably lower wear rate
compared to HS6-5-2, having very similar hardness
and carbide content. the finer microstructure of the
PM grade.

The more homogeneous primary carbides

distribution is reflected in a lower carbides mean
spacing, causing a more efficient protection of the
softer matrix from the abrasion caused by the primary
carbides.
Wear rate vs. HV30 hardness
 a c

b d
Microstructure of the a) counterpart ASP2052HSS b) worn surface of PM
HS6-5-3 c,d) worn surface of wrought HS 6-5-2.
Lower tempering temperature must be selected to
avoid overtempering caused by carbides coarsening.
The measured apparent fracture toughness Ka
displayed a significant influence of hardness and
primary carbides distribution. A general drop in Ka is
observed by increasing hardness.

DCT causes a general increase in toughness in Co-free

grades, a decrease being always observed for the two
Co-containing Grades.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
Long Range order established
Corrosion Resistance increased
Thermal, Electrical Conductivity & Hot Hardness
improved
Dimensional stability, structural compactness
improved
Grain Shape and Size refined.
Vacancies erased, Dislocations and Stacking Faults
eliminated by forming fresh grain boundaries.
 CONCLUSION
EXPOSURE OF MATERIALS TO DEEP SUB ZERO
TEMPERATURES CAUSES PERMANENT
IRREVERSIBLE CHANGED IN THE
MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE METALS.
BENEFITS QUANTIFIABLE IN THE CASE OF ALLOY
STEELS.
PRODUCT LIFE INCREASES (50 - 700%)
UNIFORM WEAR PATTERN ESTABLISHED
AMOUNT OF REGRINDING/REDRESSING
MINIMIZED
HARDNESS INCREASE DETECTED IN NON
FERROUS MATERIALS
The influence of deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) on
the properties of four high speed steels has been
evaluated in this work. Two of them, namely HS6-5-2
and HS 6-5-2-5, were selected among wrought grades,
whereas the other two, HS6-5-3 and HS 6-5-3-8
among PM grades.
The steels were heat treated including DCT before
and after tempering. DCT does not significantly alter
the hardness when carried out after convenstional
tempering.
Refernces:
M. Pellizzari , Influence of Deep Cryogenic Treatment on
the properties of Conventional and PM High Speed Steel,
 Department of Materials Engineering and Industrial
Technologies, University of Trento, Italy, Volume 3,
Number 2-3 / 2008.
T.V. Rajan, C.P. Sharma and Ashok Sharma, Heat
Treatment and Techniques, Deptt. of Metallurgical
Engineering, Malviya Regional Engineering
College,Revised Edition 1995.
 THANK YOU

By: Krishna Kamlesh Verma

Roll No. 7515.