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High-performance cast steels

Contact: Prof. Dr. Julia Hufenbach, Dr. Uta Kühn

Our research activities focus on load-adapted development and characterization of high-performance cast steels for industrial applications.

Thereby, the design of novel steels for tooling applications presents a key topic, which includes a multitude of requirements like high strength, hardness, wear-resistance, toughness and corrosion resistance has to be fulfilled. Furthermore, general demands for longer service lifes of the components and more resource-saving, efficient manufacturing processes are the challenges for advanced tool design, which are considered in the development process.

One major approach regarding cast steels is the adjustment of phases by tailoring the solidification rates, whereby the formation of the non-equilibrium phases martensite, retained austenite as well as complex carbides can be promoted. This combination of phases results for the developed Fe85Cr4Mo8V2C1 (wt%) in a high hardness (≈ 60 HRC), yield (≈ 2000 MPa) and ultimate strength (≈ 4000 MPa) under compressive load as well as in a high fracture strain of about 12% already in the as-cast state. Furthermore, an excellent abrasive wear resistance can be realized by tailoring the phase constituents and the carbide design.

Therefore, the processing of high-performance steels in the casting process offers a high potential for the manufacturing of near-net shape tools beside conventional processing routes.

Prototypes out of novel developed cast steels: Knifes for cutting tools; round shank bit for mining machinery; bucket teeth; cutting teeth (f. l. t. r.)

Selected publications:

J. Zeisig, N. Schädlich, J. Hufenbach, H. Wendrock, J. Kimme, U. Kühn, Effect of cooling rate on precipitation behaviour and transformation characteristics of a novel FeCrVBC cast alloy, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 816 (2020) 152544.

J. Hufenbach, A. Helth, M.-H. Lee, H. Wendrock, L. Giebeler, C.-Y. Choe, K.-H. Kim, U. Kühn, T.-S. Kim, J. Eckert, Effect of cerium addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength Fe85Cr4Mo8V2C1 cast steel, Materials Science and Engineering A 674 (2016) 366-374.

J. Hufenbach, K. Kunze, L. Giebeler, T. Gemming, H. Wendrock, C. Baldauf, U. Kühn, W. Hufenbach, J. Eckert, The effect of boron on microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength cast FeCrVC, Materials Science and Engineering A 586 (2013) 267-275.

J. Hufenbach, S. Kohlar, U. Kühn, L. Giebeler, J. Eckert, Microstructural and mechanical characterization of an ultra-high-strength Fe86.7Cr4.4Mo0.6V1.1W2.5C4.7 alloy, Journal of Materials Science 47 (2012) 267-271.

J. Hufenbach, L. Giebeler, M. Hoffmann, S. Kohlar, U. Kühn, T. Gemming, S. Oswald, B. Eigenmann, J. Eckert, Effect of short-term tempering on microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength FeCrMoVC, Acta Materialia 60 (2012) 4468-4476.

U. Kühn, N. Mattern, T. Gemming, U. Siegel, K. Werniewicz, J. Eckert, Superior Mechanical Properties of FeCrMoVC, Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, (2007) 261901.